New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-13
The Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In letter sent to your publication on
Nav of this year presented a number OF
reasons WHY the so-caled punitive expedi-
ton" which is now peacefully violating the
sovereignty of Mexico should be withdrawn
At that time | also pointed to the fact that
this country was on the verge OF almost ma
tion-wide strike difficulties, and-as usually
happens during strike periods anarchists, or
friends of loose government, would not fail
to do all in their power to incite strife and
bloodshed within the land. These few lines
warned that the situation, so ably described
by Mr. Wilson in his recent speech before
Congress, was imminent Our President IS
the authority for the following statement;
"Cities will be cut off from their food supplies,
the whole commerce of the nation will be
paralyzed, men Of every sort and occupation
will be thrown out of employment countless
thousands will in all likelihood be brought,
it may be, to the very point of starvation
and a tragical national calamity brought on.
IL was known at the time of that writing
that a general strike Of railroad employees
was brewing: it was also known that their
strike strategists were merely awaiting an
opportune time for action. 1t was known
that these strike strategists calculated on
the slim possibilities of strike OF any
magnitude being broken, the munition IN
dustry having brought about a scarcity OF
idle workingmen; they correctly estimated
the shallowness Of Mr. Wilson and had
realized only too well that vote getting would
prompt him to employ the cavalry OF his
cunning and the artillery of his rhetoric IN
their behalf They awaited the decree that
shanghaed the militia of the states TO the
Mexican border. as they considered the gen
oral absence of military units throughout
the country and the nearness OF Presl-
Dental election rs highly advantageous to the
success Of their plans.
The fearful part OF all this is that the
elected guardian of l00,000,000 Americans
rushes, nervously and eXcitedly, to our hlgh-
est legislative bodies and frantically urges
them, hastily and blindly, to pass unconstl-
tutional measures which will make 4OO,OOO
we'll paid railroad employees believe that they
have received permanent increase OF hourly
wages which increase, we are told, rs sane
toned by society"
As 100000 railroad workers are but small
percentage of the vast number of working
men who are vitality interested in the length
of the working day and the hourly wage, this
indiscrimnate dipping Of Presidential hands
into the purses of lO0,OO0.O0O Americans for
the papable pecuniary gain of 100000 train
men cannot be classed as other than vicious
and insensate tyranny. The burden of in
creased cost Of production or increased cost
Of Transporting merchandise must be ultl-
mately borne by the consumer, as 1t, IN all
cases. eventually takes the form of slight
but general rise in the prices demanded for
life's necessities)
In view of the fact that there are millions
of workingmen who work longer hours and
receive less money for their services than the
members of the four railroad brotherhoods,
it seems only fair that Congress should en-
act similar laws for their benefit. II Con-
gress so acted, the enormously increased cost
Of manufactured articles, together with the
increased cost of transporting raw material,