But the right to vote is a simple and familiar right.
Now in labor disputes, which are probably the chief item in the
charges against newspapers, the right to strike, like the right to
vote, is simple enough. But the causes and objects of a particular
strike are like the causes and objects of the woman's movement,
extremely subtle.
Let us suppose the conditions leading up to a strike are bad. What is
the measure of evil? A certain conception of a proper standard of
living, hygiene, economic security, and human dignity. The industry
may be far below the theoretical standard of the community, and the
workers may be too wretched to protest. Conditions may be above the
standard, and the workers may protest violently. The standard is at
best a vague measure. However, we shall assume that the conditions are
below par, as par is understood by the editor. Occasionally without
waiting for the workers to threaten, but prompted say by a social
worker, he will send reporters to investigate, and will call attention
to bad conditions. Necessarily he cannot do that often. For these
investigations cost time, money, special talent, and a lot of space.
To make plausible a report that conditions are bad, you need a good
many columns of print. In order to tell the truth about the steel
worker in the Pittsburgh district, there was needed a staff of
investigators, a great deal of time, and several fat volumes of print.
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