The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1916-09-08
THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

We are writing this on national
holiday, Labor Day.
The nation is rejoicing today because
vast railway strike has been called Oh.
A large number Of laborlng men are
rejoicing because they have won great
victory.
But every thinking man of both class
es is this morning wondering; wondering
what the results will be. While the
man may we'll rejoice that the strike is
called of he is asking the question,
what will be the end of this? Where
are we at?
Every man knows that the actions Of
the President and Of Congress were but
the choice Of evils. We have the same
feelings that has the victim OF burglar
or highwayman. We have been forced
to give up our money to save our lives.
When the highway robber gets the
drop on his victim there is only one
thing for the victim to do, there is no
time for argument.
When the affair ls over, perhaps it
may be found that the victim has lost
but little cash and that part cuts but
little figure; but nobody likes to be held
up.
That is the feeling that prevades this
United States today.
It is not the question whether the
trainmen Of the four brotherhoods we're
entitled toa raise of one.fourth 10 their
pay, because as far as the people we're
concerned they never had an opportu-
nifty to decide on the merits of that
question. The brotherhoods denied all
question; they decided the answer and
enforced the reply-because they had
the power. The issue was the power of
the brotherhoods and the power of tho
government.
And the President of these United
States and the House Representatives
and the Senate of the United States got
down on their knees. held up their hands
and passed drastic law of doubtful
onstltutionality- six o'clock on
Saturday night-as they were ordered
to do by the brotherhoods. And these
men in supposed authority turned over
their lawful functions to a gang of
strikers representing two out of each
hundred voters of the whole country.
Now don't get mixed about this con.
troversy. This is not question as to
whether the trainmen should or should
not get ten hours pay for eight hours
work. That is still question notwith.
standing Congress has made it law.
1t will always be question until all
conditions are investigated.
But there is no question about the
manner in which that law was forced
upon the American people without their
knowledge or consent.
While the "Adamson bill'' was passed
almost solely on party lines we believe
that the Democratic members of both
houses of Congress would have voted
against any such arbitrary and hasty
action if they had dared to do it. We
also believe that if it had been necessary
to pass the bill that there would have
been q good many Republican members
of both houses who would have voted
for it. That is that the recorded votes
do not represent the private opinions SO
much as the force of circumstances.
As predicted by the Pioneer Express
last week this issue has become political.
Congress on the face of the vote divided
on political lines. The Democratic par
ty is by this congressional action and
compelled blythe acts of President Will
son have joined the trainmen of the four
brotherhoods. The Republicans by
their votes have protested against arbl-
trary law-making under the threats of a
labor union.
That this issue may grow until it be-.
comes the one great issue between the
parties is very possible. 1t will be an
important issue in this present campaign
and in the campaign of four years hence
~ uoy 10 GAO SOuVAOAiufs lSou0. IL u6y
be that the brotherhoods have begun
that '.irrepressible conflict" of labor and
capital that has been impending for the
last twenty-five years. But in this i'm.
pending war there is yet third party
who dolnot belong to either the laborers
or the capitalists. They are that class
of independent workers who do not de-
pend on others for salaries or day wages,
or the classes that do work for others
but singly or in small groups. The most
numerous of this third party at interest
are the farmers and smaller business
and professional men.
In illustrating the case above we do |
not wish to be understood that the
brotherhoods are highwaymen in the
sense of dishonesty. The highwayman