Evening star., 1926-05-14
British Strike Teaches a
Lesson to Americans

To the Editor of The Star:
liz Britain less the mother countr,
because these United States-its of
spring--has developed into the create
country? Is it not rather reason Il
give fuller credit to the mother"
And cannot we learn from the latt
crisis in England? 1t was not rev
olution but an evolution. dating from
the time when "barons" held theil
sway, when the people" found safety
be meath their wings-castles. Ther
came the inventions that the power
of steam created and with them tht
ma manufacturing and capitalistic ''bar
ons. The extremists among them
virtually made slaves Of "the common
people, who ultimately sought and
found emancipa ton In their union
And now the union" usurps its le
Sitimate powers. Which does not
mean that the union" Is all wrong
or that the government" is all right
Exiremists on both sides are ~
fault. Baldwin would have likely
avoided the great crisis We're it not
Tor the extremists on his side, while
Macdonald would have done the
same were 1t not for the extremists
on his side. And so the fight wa
on TO the finish. And here we car
learn lesson from the mother coun
iry-of fair 1ghting. Picture a
strike" here with the same numbers
involved and the vital consequen
entailed! Would we have had such q
peaceful fight? Must we not honestly
answer No: And so the question
Why?
With our language and laws and
problems much alike. can we not learn
Gf 4kA
the laws OF England are more strictly
enforced and more implicitly obeyed
And our mutual faults, Why dc
both nations anticipate and fail to
remedy evil8 instead Of awaiting their
certain development? And why make
shift cures when the evils reach a
crisis?
As with the coal strike" both in
England and here, why should either
government have hands OFF, Is not
the government" part OF the peo-
pie. given authority To see to it that
justice shall be paramount? Shall ex-
tremists in either party, the mine
owners and mine workers. be allowed
TO create situation equally disastrous
TO both? Shall not the government
be made responsible for q reorganiza
tion that shall mean justice and "a
living" for both? And. if the govern
ment fails. shall il not be discharged
and an adequate one established? And
let 1t he based on the truism that no
individual, corporation or ma ton can
alternately profit at the expense of
the other.
Is not the biblical injunction BE
your brothers keeper literally In
terpreted. just that: But must we
hght: Yes. Just as we have "a fight
TO be born. so we must fight to live
and excel. But. let us fight fairly and
with the good OF otherg as well as our
selves in view. Is any other fight-
ing logical. sensible. }prOfitabie? So
whether with individuals OF nations
let US tight fair. in unity.
NiscOunt Grey iR ''Twenty.fivt
Years" volume =. page 2S3. saws: 'The
lesson Of Europe il So plain Ii is
that no enduring security can be
found in competing aimaments and
in separate alliances: there Is no Sc
curity for any power unless il he a
security in which It's heighbOrs have
an equal share
Does not ghis incontIovertibie truth
apply to all indi viduals and nations
Will il not include the reOrga MIA ior
OF our coal mines not less than our
international laws? The establishment
OF such a truism will end in worlC
unity. with the ideals of Jesus made
economic facts. Let US hasten the
day: W. G.. KENT.