Rut all the trouble incident to high-tasting out the strike situation is a measure of practical politics! Would have been wasted if the after-effect on the fortunes of parties reflected solely by those directly involved, but no event would the November election be so close as to make it possible for the trainmen to decide the issue. The strategical importance of the problem comes from the fact that "labor" as a whole commands about 3,000,000 votes. By coining solidly one way or the other it could decide the result in any of the half-dozen States whose choice will be the next President of the United States.

LARGE VOTES OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE
Just how much of the potential "labor vote" is actual is one of those uncertainties of politics. Politicians court it assiduously. It often defeats candidates for office, but rarely elects any. Gompers and the Federation of Labor supported Bryan in 1908, as the Republicans are pointing out, but did not help him appreciably. No doubt, a large number of voters are influenced by labor questions, but just how many are controlled by those questions alone is a doubtful problem. In this case, those who go to Wilson on the strike issue alone will do so out of appreciation, for Hughes's record on labor questions is not a bad one. Some of his decisions while on the bench, like the one in the Dan.  Burlington hatters' case, are being used against him. He has come out for arbitration, but has not come out against the eight-hour day. 