Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-07
THE HODDUP is COMPLETE.
TDaS Mnirne

The railroad brotherhoods went to
Washington with the proclamation that
there were 100000 of them. They timed
their movement. They knew presi-
Dental election was coming on; they
knew that there We're two classes Of
voters which presidents and congress
men are afraid Of One class is the
labor union man: the other class IS
made up OF farmers. These two classes
are catered to either by actual or In
service ell the year around
President Wilson proved himself to
be thoroughbred demasogue and
Climbed down the pole at once. He
saw chance to get 100000 votes.
And he thinks he now has them. He
gave away the entire case TO the broth
erhoods and then sugg sted an arb,
tration of some kind in regard TO other
issues. The conntry has never before
"een such an exhibition Of rank poll
tics.
The brotherhoods held their ground.
They got Wilson on tho run and they
gave him a curtain of fire. Then Will
son retreated 10 the third line trench
and threw the responsibility onto con-
gress. 1t was easy enough to put
congress on the run. The democratic
congressional lea ders followed Wilson's
Gictation and granted an eight hour
day-so- called
The reader must understand that
what was really granted was 20 per
cent Increase in wages. There was no
liking Of the eight hour day except as
starting point TO count wages. No
man Is prohibited trcrn working more
than eight hours. No man is author
lied TO quit at the expiration of eight
hours, leaving train on the sdetrack.
Therefore there was no issue in regard
to eight hours day except as a means
of fixing wages. The real point of
the whole proposition was the propo-
sition for time and one half for over
time. Reducing the day would make
an incrtase and the price and one half
for overtime would make an increase
and the reduction of the day made
overtime necessary. The brotherhood
men knew this. Everybody seems TO
know II except President Wilson.
What we find fault with is the dem
onstration that 100000 voters can hold
up a government. What would be sd ID
II the Knights of Columbus or the
Catholic brethren altogether marched
to Washington and demanded that the
public school funds be divided in every
state In the union?@ What would some
of our patriots say?
There are many possibilities in the
direction of these holdups. but the rail-
road brotherhoods were in power.
They knew II was necessary for them
TO be on their jobs for the country to
prosper and they thought they could
just as well have more as not This
Is species of politics that cannot be
encouraged in this republic. If holdups
like these can go thru. the republic
will not continue to exist
The brotherhood men undoubtedly
thought that they were dealing with
conscienceless 10. of railroad managers
who would recognize nothing but force.
With that phase of the question we
have nothing to do. Our interest 10 in
the welfare Of this republic Questions
of wages should be submitted to arbi-
tration. Especially when they affect
public utilities like the railroads.
Strikes on railroads should be pro-
hibited by federal statute. Then .
board of arbitration should be provided
and the labor union organizat ions
should be entitled TO demand higher
wages. And then the matter should
be submitted 10 the arbitration board.
A big, strong government like the
American republic ought to be willing
to do justice to any and all men with
out strikes Of threats. No individual
can sue the state Of Iowa, the theory
being that sovereign state will do
voluntary justice. If an individual is
not permitted to Sue state, ne ought
not be permitted to strike against the
state. This same doctrine ought TO
apply to all government employees and
all those teaching in the public schools.
We are not interested in keeping
down the wages of brotherhoods. but
we are interested in knowing that
government of the people is not to
perish by threats