The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-14
FROM OTHER PENS
AN AWARD AND A D1LEMM

The award OF the arbitration commits
sion in the wage controversy of the
eastern railroads and their conductors
and trainmen Is a substantial victory
for the employees. but the arbitration
itself was victory for the rule of rea-
son and the cause of industrial peace
and efficiency. A strike would prob
ably have cost the railroads more than
the $4,000. 900 which the award requires
| them to add to the wage total. How
| many millions the great public would
| have lost. directly and indirectly. NO
one has estimated. but bitter expert
ence teaches that the waste and loss
| would have been heavy and grievous
even for a nation az rich A. the United
States. There is cause for regret in
the division OF tho commission. but the
impartfalfty OF the representatives OF
the public on the board will hardly be
questioned. The decision to settle the
wage dispute ON its own merits. with
out reference to railroad rates and
present or future income. must strike
the public AZ eminently sound. IL not.
indeed. unavoidable. The board had
nothing to do with the rate question; it
knew that another body. the commerce
commission, was to wrestle with that
question, and 1t merely took cognizance
of the dilemma OF the railroads and
made q significant hint or two AZ to the
safety problem and the danger of fore.
ing tho railroads to economize at tho
employees are granted more pay; the
public will continue to demand i'm
proved apparatus. steel cars. double
tracking, and other safeguards. Wheth-
er rate advances. already applied for
| by some OF the railroads. have become
| a necessity is a question to be earnest
ly and fairly considered by the COM
merce Chicago Record
Herald.
ACQUITTAL OF BELLS.
In his concluding argument the coun-
! sci for Bells said that it was not his
client who was on trial, but the Jewish
| religion. 1t would have been nearer
| the truth-but not safe for him to utter
| it-that 1t was not Bells. but Russia.
| that was ON trial. The acQuittal OF
Bells has saved Russia from disgrace
| so great that 1t il almost inconceivable.
| In no other country in Christendom
could a Jew have been tried on a charge
of killing a Christian in order to get
his blood for ritual use. The charge was
| made by pagans against Christians in
! the early days Of Christianity, and in
| the darkest ages 1t was sometimes made
| by Christians against Jews. But CEN
| turtles ago the highest authority in the
Roman Catholic church repudiated this
Faccusation against Jews. and official
| evidence Of this fact was obtained from
Rome for use in this trial. The Protes-
| tant communions have repudiated the
slightest suspicion that Jews At any
+. time committed ritual murders. II q
Jew could have been convicted Of ritual
! murder in Russia that country would
have been branded with the ignorance
and superstition of the darkest ages in
European history. Yet the feeling
against the Jews il SO strong among
Russians that 1t may be suspected that
! the government had to use its potent
and pervasive influence with the court
to save the reputation Of the nation.
| Troops were maased at and near Aiev
to prevent a "pogrom," and danger
/ thereof II not entirely removed. The
Society Of the Double-Headed Eagle IL
i now raising money and passion for
memorial for Yushinslky. alleged by It
| to have been murdered by a Jew for
ritual purposes. OF course. the OBJ
| ject of this 10 to excite anti-9emitic
feeling and procure q massacre. Bells
having been acquitted, the government
cannot in decency permit Q nationalist
society to circulate the statement that
he was guilty and to get up any sort
| Of public ceremonial for the open OBJ
Ject Of ttirring up among the COM
municants Of the Greek church hatred