Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-28
Coins by Economic
Violence Questioned
Observer Holds Public Interest
Affected by Big Strikes
By David Laurence

FACAA tAlC Dl6 Ines are ScLLSQ. as H.
evitably they must be some day, 1t will
be apparent that the public has sui.
Tered the largest economic loss In In
dustrial history. Idle machines and
Idle men mean millions and millions of
dollars in payrolls lost and time wasted
that can never be recovered.
Because up to now strikes have been
sporadic and the Internationally of a
strike in one industry to tie-up in an
other industry has not been so CON!
spicuously demonstrated, the American
people have taken strikes in their stride
as mere controversy between small
groups in the community. The atti-
tude OF the public has been: Let them
night 1t out and when they get tired
hghting they will 60 back to work
again."
But, unfortunately. this presupposes
that the innocent bystander isn't az
fected. 1t presupposes also that the
stockholders of the companies engaged
IN economic strife and the rank and
nle OF the union workers prefer to fight
1t out, when the truth Is the vast ma
jority OF owners and workers do not
like work stoppages and would prefer
TO have some means devised to prevent
them.
Violence Permitted.
1t Is sad commentary on the alleged
progress of democratic peoples that
they constantly pay lip service to the
idea OF settling controversies by the
processes Of reason rather than CO.
ercion, and yet Federal, State and city
authorities permit not only economic
nut physical violence. The spread re-
Gently of illegal picketing is more of an
indication of the breakdown in moral
character on the part of persons elected
to Office in the Federal, State and city
governments than it is a sign of any
new aggressions by strikers.
The technique of the strikers has
always been to press picketing to the
limit to test out what restraint, if any,
Will be imposed by Governmental au.
thorities. Picketing has gone now to
the point where interstate commerce
Is physically interrupted and police
power, vested in the States and cities.
is often supine. This Is but another way
OF saying: Let them fight it out even
If they physically hurt one another"
The function Of government in q
democracy is to protect the public in
terest. The biggest argument which
the Fascists used in Germany and italy.
and which they used also in France, was
that democracy is incapable of protect
ing the public interest because elected
ofacials are afraid of the political power
OF factions. This weakness was foreseen
long ago by George Washington, who in
his farewell address warned against the
danger Of factionalism as well as of
partisanship.
Mediation Machinery Needed.
America, however. does not need a
strong-arm government to regulate her
economic groups. Democracy is capable
OF protecting the public interest. There
Is nothing wrong either with the DEM
ocratic process or the representative
system Of government. What Is wrong
is that selfish men and officials inter-
ested in protecting their own political
jobs are afraid to risk doing even the
simple things that would tend to reduce
the number OF strikes. The philosophy
OF reason versus yiolence-exemplifed In
Inc teachings OF Jesus-is ignored be-
| cause the mood Of the age is to glorify
material things and material influence.
When the strikes are all over. It will
be pertinent to inquire what either side
gained that could not have been
achieved by collective bargaining hon
estly and sincerely conducted by both
sides while production went on uninter-
ruptedly. Why does not Congress pro-
vide better machinery of mediation, with
persons qualified to act as intermediar-
les? And why does the public let Con-
eress adopt such a nonchalant, If not
indifferent, attitude toward work stop
pages which are still called strikes but
which are in reality economic disasters7
And where are the spiritual influences
IN the community to persuade manage
ment representatives and union leaders
that they both have higher RESPONSE
bility than to their own pocketbooks2
Theirs Is responsibility to the public
and to conscience to employ reason.
rather than coercion, and to learn how
70 admit once in a while that ones
antagonist may possibly be right. Il
may be painful in that it costs nttls
in profits or expected wages, but ths
compensations that accompany al
honest sacrifice yield satisfactions and
peace of mind which material riches
can never bring.
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