The sun., 1916-08-26

goes not n slnSle OHe VI
our newspapers has taken the trouble
to look into the question Of the ulti-
mate cost to the country of the adop-
ton of Mr.. Wilson'S railroad pro-
gramme; in any event, nothing has
appeared to indicate hat they have
given this question the consideration
which 1t evidently deserves.
In treating this question with the
thoroughness which 1t demands in
order to be of any value to any one, 1t
becomes necessary to emphasize the
fact that the basis of Mr.. Wilson's
plan is his statement that. in effect.
public opinion comedies the essential
Justice Of the eight hour day indus
trially speaking; hat is to say, his
plan is not based upon the Justice OF
the demand for an eight hour day for
the four brotherhoods Of railway men
alone. It applies to industry. speaking
generally, and seems to be based upon
moral reasons to a great extent.
Entirely irrespective of whether the
railway managers are correct In charg-
ing the bro%therhoods with reaching
out for at least a 20 per cent. raise
in wages even II railway transportation
could be carried on profitably on a
real eight hour day, or, irrespective OF
whether the brotherhoods are correct
In charging the railroad managers
with gross eXaggeration In respect OF
what the change to an eight hour day
would cost the roads. one thing be-
fairly evident the we
give the subject sufficient attention.
That thing is, first. hat the cost to the
roads would not be limited to the 20
per cent. increase In wages of the
members of the fuur b~rothcrhoods: TO
this 20 per cent. increase in wages
would have to Ike added AZ part of the
cost to the roads Of the change to an
eight our system the decreased profit
or increased cost of hauling "A ton mile.
Entirely aside from the act h "A the
handsome increase In net earnings
which the roads show for the past
year Is chiefly caused by the alb
normal amouu of freight carried due
to munition business for export. is the
further fact that the cost a ton mile
, hauled has been very low owing To the
extraordinary increase in train loads
achieved by the roads. Naturally some
ot this ability to haul immense train
loads has been hue to improved road
bed, to locomotives having greater
tractive power and other technical
easons. But 1t must he clear To- tho
dullest comprehension that If any
serious attempt is to he made to com
ply with the moral aspects of Mr.. Will
sons demand. /. e.. "A real eight hour
day, then the first thing necessary Will
h. to cut down the weight Of the train
loads To achieve the speed required
to get freight runs inside the eight
hour dead line.
Right here il where no ohc hut the
operating heads Of the different roads
can speak with anything like definite
ness IA To what Increase In cost a ton
mile ha Ned will result from cutting
down train loads sufficiently to make
the necessary speed which a real eight
hour day demands. However. no ono
can fail To- see that IL must bc u de
cidcd increase in cost a ton mile hauled
which this change from heavy train
loads moved comparatively SLOWLY tu
much lighter train loads moved much
faster will require. hence the chanG"
viii cost tn. roads - per cent. more
for the coming year than tn" normal
wase ,ten hours, earned hy tn. mem
bcrS ~ the four h~rothcrhoodS last
year. plus decrease in net earnings of
roads iu. II Increase in cost a ton
mile hauled
But ow.ng To- the manner in which
Mr.. Wilson plrasrd his demand. /. e,
IN has.ng IT in effect on moral CON
sid"ratinns u mast consider the
psychology Of tn" situation produced
thereby in any attempt to Hpproxf-
mate III" ultimate effect Of the accept
anCc of Mr.. Wilson'S plan. What this
means is that Mr., Wilson cannot af-
ford to draw lines ~ social Justice at
the four hruth-rhuods and their agsrc-
gate membership of 100. 900 men: hc
must apply Z I" the other l6uu. oUo
ilrl who compose tn" employees of
our railways III addition to the 100, 600
hinthorhuoi men.
lm.siuc what Mr.. Wilson would louk
like to the country If. when THESE
i.Go".o 600 men demanded the eight huur
day n advance Of arbitration. he re-
fused To- treat them similarly To- the
manner in which he treated the
h~ruthcrhnods' 100 600 men. And does
ANY on" believe that tn" l,600. 0oo men
would not quit ~instantcr II they Wcr,
Disseminated against h! Mr.. Wilson"
MAJ durs any one really think that
If the fojr brotherhood men -ct what
their great and good fr!cn Mr., WI
son demands for ,l'crn. the eight hour
day without arbitration. the cuuS,-
lIcnces IL he arbitratyd later. aud If
decision hc AGAINST the eight hour day