Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-10
PUBLIC To PAY IF
TRAINMEN WIN
WAGEFIGHT
"Are You, Not Railroads, Willing
to Grant lncrease?" Is Cues
ton, Forbes Declares.
By B. c. FORBES.


the country, unless demands for
wage increases are granted. First
the engineers, then the firemen, and
now the trainmen have taken this
course of action.
Where are strike threats to end?
Arbltrators found the engineers
and the firemen entitled to better
pay. The railroads were willing to
grant concessions in these cases,
but they declare the trainmen have
no grounds for insisting upon an
other advance, seeing that their
wages were raised in 1910. Yet,
there is feeling in railroad circles
that arbitrators will seek the usual
line of least resistance and effect
compromise.
Railroad managers are asking: "lf
employees know that every time they
threaten to starve the people they
will be granted higher wages, why
should they not 90 on making fresh
demands2 They can not lose any
thing by repeating the performances
of putting a pistol to the heads of
the railroads and the publie-and they
have learned by experience that they
are tolerahly certain to gain some-
thing when arbitration is agreed
upon"
That arbitration will be adopted
this time is a foresone conclusion.
The customary result will likely fol-
low-substantial concessions, entail
ing heavier burdens upon the public.
Now. the point raised by the rail
roads is important. Where are the
demands Of railroad employees to
end? WHY should they end7
Human nature is human nature, and
IL the men know that by asking a lot
they can depend upon receiving
something, we'll, the temptation to
asI< is apt to prove irresistible. It is
easier to preach than to practice self
denial. Are we not all striving to
obtain the most We can for our
labors? The railroads are at this
moment trying to secure better rates
for carry freight, are they not?
Experience may have justified the
. 'pessinistie attitude the railroads are
taking toward arbitration. But will
arbitrators ALWAYS grant conces-
sions regardless of circumstances, re-
gardIess of the merits or dement's of
the mems demands?
do not pretend to have a iaby
rinth of pigeon holes, each containing
a ready-made solution for some COM
picated problem. Some writer's can
solve every difficulty in less than a
column. They know just what should
be done under every circumstance.
/ don't. And this problem of adjust
ing demands of highly organized
workers, especially railroad workers,
is one of battling, unusual difficulty.
Federal and State Arbitration
Boards, as recommended by the
commission that arbitrated the rail-
way engineers dispute, have much
to commend them IN the case of pub
lie and quasi public service workers
upon the uninterrupted continuance
of whose iabors the people at large
are dependent for the necessities Of
life.
But it seems to me that the great
est need of all is that the public
you, your next door neighbor, and
all the rest of US should become
thoroughly acquainted with what
hiuher and still higher wages mean
TO US. The railroads will not ,ay
whatever increase in wages the
and will pay. The railroads have
not one dollar that you and | did
not contribute. They have only one
source of revenue-the public.
Therefore, the question to ask is
not, SHOULD the railroads raise
,yaees7" but "ShouId WE pay rail
way workers higher waees?" For
WE foot the bill.
IF we conclude, after learning all
receive, that they are getting less
than we earn ourselves, that we
ought to contribute more to their
weekly envelopes, that they cannot
live as comfortably as the average
workers of similar skill, then let US
make our decision known. Once il
is clearly realized that the public, not
souIless corporations, must meet the
bill, must give up out of their
pockets every additional dollar paid
over to these workers., then public
sentiment will govern rates of wages
and govern them equitably.
Our impulse is to side always with
the worker and against the employer.
But in the case Of the railroads, you
and are in reality the employers.
When | side with the men we side
against ourselves. Mind you, it may
be only common justice that we
should so side. The trainmen now
threatening to strike may be entirely
entitled to higher wages. It may be
our duty TO put our hands IN our
pockets a little deeper in their be
half. But let US realize what we are
doinq when we favor higher wages.
Do not let US delude ourselves that
somebody else is to pay the extra re-
Enumeration.
Once we have a public thoroughly