The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-01-20
PLACE DOLLARS
ABOVE THE MAN
What New York Traction Com
panlas Are Fighting Fol-.
CONTROL OF THE WORKERS

Employees Have Been Battling For the
Right to Organize and Against Low
J Wages and Long Hours of Toll.
Every Victory of Wage Farmers
Means Welfare of Humanity.
During the past few weeks we have
been hearing a great deal about the
rights and the interests of the public.
The term public" is used in an indis-
eliminating, battling manner that i'm
mediately raises the question, Who
what is the public; of what elements
In society is the public made up?"
When the street car strike of New
York city forced thousands of peo-
pie to walk the New York Times
solemnly declared, "As the general dis
comfort rises it becomes clearer that
one side Is trying to serve the public
and the other side Is seeking the vic
tory by the peoples inconvenience.
This is q very serious charge If it
has basis In fact. What new reason
Is there for thinking that the traction
companies Of New York city have de-
veloped a disinterested desire to fur.
Their the convenience Of the strap
hangers of their crowded cars7 Ac-
cording to the New York Times, the
frantic efforts of these companies to
maintain service despite the efforts Of
workers to make the companies realize
they cannot operate their cars without
proper regard to the rights and de-
mands of their employees is service
to the public.
Consider for a minute who the pub
lie is. The 100000 people living in
New York city may be divided into
two classes-those who employ and
those who are employed. These two
classes look at all industrial problems
from opposite sides. The employed
have the viewpoint Of the wage earn,
er; those who employ have the view.
point Of the owners or managers OF
business. Each member Of the latter
group knows that wherever its conten-
tons or viewpoints are strengthened
and maintained In dealing with an In
dustrial problem it means that it will
be easier for him as an individual to
secure his point In dealing with his
own employees.
On the other hand, every contest
that results In favor of wage earners
grounds more firmly in the institu-
lions of our country the rights and
the interests of wage earners. 1t de-
velops an appreciation of the purposes
of the wage earners in making their
contest and secures for them favora
bic and sympathetic understanding
which make 1t impossible that socia
: and political institutions shall be uset
to defeat strikes and efforts of wage
earners to secure better conditions.
In q sense therefore, every strike
and effort Of wage earners to establish
higher standards and better conditions
Is a fight Of every other wage Garner
In q particular contest 1t Is the work
ers of single trade or industry wht
are on the firing line, but they are
fighting for the whole group. Theil
victory means the progress of thu
whole group. 1t means the progress
and welfare Of humanity.
Theodore P. Shonts and Frank He'd
ley have emphatically declared in 6
public statement that they are fighting
for the welfare and best interests Of
the public and their loyal employees
To understand for what Shonts ant
Hedley are really fighting one has only
to consider the conditions which have
been established and maintained OF
their street car lines, They are fight
ing for a system of despotic contro
over employees, a system under which
workers have nothing to say In thu
terms and conditions under which the.
work. They are fighting to impose
low wage and a long hour system
They are fighting for system which
means high dividends, regardless o.
the public that must stand, While i
rides and shivers in badly heated carr
in the winter time. Shonts and He'd
ley are fighting for system unde
which the capitalist shall dominate
and dictate the standards and ideals o.
society. They are fighting for sys
tenn which values dollars more thai
! men. It is quite evident that thu
masses of people in New York cit!
have nothing to gain from victor!
for Shonts and Hedley and rejection
for the principles, purposes and stand
ards for which the street railway mel
end their friends contend.--Americar