The Coal Strike Situation

The conference of the anthracite coal operators and representatives of the United Mine Workers of America with the president from which so much was hoped, has come and gone and it has resulted in more sharply accentuating the differences between the operators and the miners, but there are no indications that it has brought the trouble nearer an end. The conference has served, however, to fix in the public mind the responsibility for the continuance of the strike at this time. The appeal to both sides made by President Roosevelt was manly, free from bias and patriotic. The response of President Mitchell, of the United Mine Workers, was similar in spirit. He voiced the perfect willingness of the miners' organization to submit their case to any tribunal the president would name and he waived the question of the recognition of the union. But the operators were obdurate and would have nothing to do with Mr. Mitchell although he cared not to be recognized in any other capacity than as a representative of his men. In fact he expressed himself as willing to step aside entirely. But these arrogant capitalists absolutely refused to in any manner consent to arbitration. While the operators appeared as representatives of their organizations, they were unwilling to have anything to do with representatives of the miners.

All this serves to fix the responsibility for the terrible situation which confronts the country at the beginning of cold weather on these insolent and overbearing representatives of anarchistic capital. Whaever the merits of the controversy may have been originally, the responsibility for the rapidly developing tide of anarchistic sentiment throughout the country is now upon these despotic coal barons. They claim the right to organize, but deny that right to the miners. In this they show their narrowness and claimed superiority. They hold the miners to be outlaws, but at the same time it is well known that these operators in their organizations have outraged the spirit if not the letter of the law. The coal carrying roads and the mine operators are really one and the same combination, but they by employing the keenest lawyers have been able to evade the letter of the law, but they are violators of its spirit just the same. All this goes to show that they have gone deliberately at work to break down the law made and provided to prevent just such crimes as they are guilty of. It is true that crimes have been committed in the disturbed district by miners, but there is no evidence that these have resulted from the advice or consent of the miners' organization. They are chargeable to individuals. The miners' union has counselled the men to observe law and order. In this they appear to better advantage than the operators' organization, which evades the law by design.

Trade unionism has its sins no doubt, but no fair minded man will deny the right of labor to organize. Certainly there can be no superior right in capital to organize. In denying the right of labor to organize they repudiate their own cause or assume superior right. They have likewise shown their determination to be paramount in refusing to consider impartial arbitration.

But the time is at hand when the interest of the public in this affair has become superior to either party to the fight. By the obstinacy of the operators millions of our people are made to suffer for the necessities of life. They will not much longer tolerate this suffering. They will answer the question "What are you going to do about it?" in a manner that will prove the people still rule in this nation.