The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-25
RIPLEY SHOWS SPIRIT


backed Up to the limit by the stock
holders at the meeting today when
without dissension they ratified MS
purchase Wednesday, on behalf of
his railroad, of another $5,Oou.ooO
block of the second liberty loan.
Those at the station to meet MI
Ripley and his party when they ar
rived this morning included F. {. FOX,
general manager; E. L. Copeland,
treasurer; J. r. Koontz, general
passenger agent; H. C. Pribble, gen.
eral claim agent; John Purcell, who
had arrived previously from Chicago
and others.
Mr. Ripley, one of the first men off
the special train, and his party were
loaded in automobiles and taken to
Ripley park to inspect the improve
ment5 there which were erected with
$21, 900 of which $4,000 was given
by Mr.. Ripley and $4,000 by the city.
The executive expressed considerable
pleasure at the manner in which the
city had spent his money and made
a thoro inspection, giving suggestions
and making comments here and there.
From the park the party was taken
to the shops. Practically every build
ing was included in the trip.
How far do you think the en-
ployment of women as a war emerg-
ency by the railroads will go?" Mr..
Ripley was asked as the party passed
where several women were at work
That depends on how long the
war lasts. We can use all the women
we can get now. In fact, we can use
all the labor of almost any kind we
can get and more. A great deal of
the shortage, of course, is because of
the war taking men into the army.
There is another reason, tho. That is
the immigration law. If it wasn't for
that law we could get all kinds of
common labor from other countries.
Need Chinese Labor.
THE best thing that could happen
to the industrial part America now
million Chinese.
They are better laborers than
MeXicars and are barred only by the
literacy law. The industrial world
now cannot stop to figure whether
| laborers can read or write. The in
dustrial world needs men with muscle
and who will work.
Were not the labor unions respon-
| sible for that law or didn't they give
1t their aid?' was asked.
Il wouldn't want to say as to that.
| However, every railroad president is
| under the impression that they were"
| TIE Santa Fe executive declared
| that the government had aided the
| railroads materially in war transport
tation problems by keeping hands off.
|
ment has tossed into the waste bask ct
most of the rules hampering efficient
| rallroad1ng, including many of the
| antitrust laws. We are now expected
to do things which heretofore the
| statutes prohibited US from doing"
Mr.. Ripley asserted that the country
IS in pretty good condition, consider
ing the war. The only immediate dam
| ger he sees 10 the possibility of a coal
Famine in some of the larger cities
There is plenty of food, and it is
evenly distributed" he said Food
will be expensive this winter, but il
| VIII be within reach of most people
and there perhaps will be no more
suffering than usual, unless it be for
lack of fuel. That danger looms big
but am hopeful that a way out of the
difficulty will be found before the cold
weather sets in
West To Do Its Part.
There is no doubt in Mr.. Ripley's
NINA tnat the west will do it's part in
increasing the country's food produc-
ton next year. Il am sure the states
served by the Santa Fe from the Great
Lakes to the Pacific coast will show
heavy increases in all lines" he said
| we nave been keeping books on the
actlVlnes OF producers in these locaIi-
tes' and know that they can be de.
pended upon to do their utmost
speaking of the part the railroa n,
are TAXING In the war, Mr. Ripley saif
that1n his judgment neither the gov.
| eminent nor the people would hav,
cause to complain of the record of a.
carriers. Generally it is adnittad
he said, that the transportation need.
OF the country-all things considereC
nave been met-not by the govern
ment, not by legislative enactment
commission order or judicial rnandat,
but by the railway companies tbeno
hot
half of the most efficient service in
helping win thisN war for huna nitv
When the country became involved j,
the worst war in history. making i
necessary for the railroads to trans
port unprecedented volumes of gov
eminent and commercial traffic III,
government promptly turned tn,
whole matter over to the railroads :;
be worked out and handled in tbei
own way. And the government CAV,
the railroads this vote Of confidence
as 1t were, Notwithstanding the aims,
which has been heaped upon them nh,
charges of incompetency made agains
them, the demand for more drasti,
regulation and the cry for government
ownership. This is one testimonial =.
which the railroads always can poin
i. with pride, regardless of what happen
to them after the war is over
) Roads Need Material.
Mr.. Ripley asserted that the short
age of materials is holding up rail
way improvements and construction
The government prices he declared
are not affecting the railroads, insofa
as steel and such materials are con
cerned.
Government prices are mostly TO
the government" he said
What are the chances of startin
construction of the new office build
ing in Topeka next SPRING.,
: The chances would be good if w
could get the material but right nov
: we aren't able to get any
; He refused to comment on the re
, ports that the four brotherhoods O
: railway trainmen are getting read
| to ask for another wage increase othe