Evening star., 1946-11-06

ministration, to avert disaster, was
forced to take over the mines. 1t
then proceeded to make concessions
both in wages and other things, far
higher than its own established
standard.
These were, in fact, SO high that
the mine owners hesitated to take
their property back on the ground
that they could not operate solvently
under these terms. At any rate, the
mines are still in the hands OF the
Government and it was upon the
Government that Mr.. Lewis two
weeks before the election, made ad-
ditional demands. In effect, he said
that though the contract was still
in force unless its rates were revised
upward, there would be another
strike.
Government Bowed to Lewis.
The obvious and natural reaction
of Secretary of the Interior Krug
was to reject the Lewis demand, but
when President Truman, after con-
sultation with Chairman Hannegan
of the Democratic committee, as
sured his press conference there
would be no strike, Mr.. Krug modi-
fed his attitude to the point of
agreeing that the matter was de-
batable. Actually, before the Tru-
man-Hannegan conference Capt.
Collision, the Governments coal
mines administrator, had made GER
tain concessions to the union on
such minor issues as retroactive va
cation pay.
Thus, to all intents and purposes,
the Government surrendered almost
as soon as Mr.. Lewis pointed his
pistol, and after it was learned that
Mr.. Truman had conferred with his
chief political strategist in this mat
ter 1t was natural to conclude that
one reason for surrender was fear
that a sitter attitude would cause
the defeat of Senator Kilgore,
Democrat, of West Virginia, an ad-
ministration supporter.
If this were true, 1t is interesting
to note that though the United
Mine Workers of America Endorsed
neither the Democratic nor Republi-
can ticket, the surrender was at
least partially in vain. as Mr.. Will
liam Blizzard, head Of the UNIV
District No. II, came out the day
before election with an appeal to
all miners to vote against Senator
Kilgore because of his alleged tieup
with the Communist -bossed CIO-
PAC." -
Aside from its utter. unworthiness
sx Q reason, certainly the political
salvation Of Senator Kilgore-or any
other Senator's no price to pay
Tor this mortifying exhibition of
the futility and pusillanimity Of the
Government-even If his defeat
meant loss of Senate control by the
administration.
Strike Against Government.
It can, of course, be said that in
his supine acquiescence Mr.. Truman
is but carrying out another "Roose-
velt policy; that in a somewhat
similar situation-and with the war
on-the late Mr.. Roosevelt, so highly
extolled as Of supreme virtue and
courage, almost literally wrung his
hands, asked what can I do?"-
and did nothing. But that is no
excuse. This threatened strike is
not one against employers; it is
against the Government itself-and
for that there can be no defense.
II the right to strike against the
Government is sustained, there is
nothing resembling public protec-
ton left. In this case even If Mr..
Truman. like Mr.. Roosevelt, was
helpless to do anything, he need
not, like Mr.. Roosevelt, have re-
Trained from denouncing the de-
mands, laying all the facts before
the people, telling them that the
situation in which the Government
finds itself is intolerable, asking
their support in the next session for
legislation that will make impossi-
BILE the coercing of the Govern
ment, the humiliation of its head