The World Going on a Strike
THE great labor war in England that was waged so strongly last summer, and that has been held in the condition of an armistice during the recent months, is now on again in earnest. All the mines are closed in Great Britain, and that means much to that empire, for her coal mining industry is one of her leading enterprises. It is said that one million miners are on strike, and one million other workers are out of employment. The first ten days of the conflict has created great suffering throughout England; and what will it be if the struggle is prolonged? General rioting to get food will be among the difficulties that will have to be confronted, for already in some sections stores are plundered by the idle and hungry people. One hundred seventy-five thousand miners have walked out in Germany in one district alone, and other districts are said to be awaiting the word for a general strike. The miners in France struck for just twenty-four hours in order to impress the government that they are united and mean business. The miners there are dissatisfied with the old age pension law for working men, and the strike may be resumed any day and become general. In Spain the lack of British trading steamers has caused the closing of many industries and thrown many thousands of people out of employment. In the United States the anthracite operators are conferring with their men, and a strike is quite a strong probability. It is also asserted that if the miners in France declare a general strike, the miners in Belgium will refuse to work. And besides, there is general uneasiness all through the south of Europe, and from the present outlook the strike may become general throughout Europe and the United States as well. There is an awful uneasiness in the world. The feelings of men are stirred, and it seems impossible to quiet them. And as we have pointed out on many occasions before, if the prophecies of the Bible amount to anything, these stormy conditions will get worse and worse, and more and more violent. Only he who knows for himself the sheltering protection of the divine Father, will be able to keep calm and free from terror in the days that lie just before. “‘Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.’” Ps. 91:5-7.