South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-07
DRAFT THE RAID WORKERS.

Editor News-Times:
If that report Of Fuel Admr.
Hardy is true, if trainmen actually
left eight cars of coal-enough to
supply 500 homes-on a siding 80
miles away, and leaving families to
suffer or get fuel as best they could
il is just one more of number of
similar acts which should be taken
into consideration by the federal
government before that asked-for
raise of so per cent in wages is de-
cided.
on the other hand, if that act, as
charged by w. q. Lee, head Of the
trainmen's union, was the deliberate
work of the men higher up" TO en-
barrass the government. and make
| it appear that governmental control
is not a success, il should be re-
membered when the promised pre-
war standard of profits is computed
and paid 10 railroad owners
Whoever is to blame. there is
something decidedly wrong with the
railroad control. This is a time Of
national danger, when personal ben
eft should be sacrificed for the ben
eft of the nation as a whole When
the Garfield order, closing all fac
tories east of the Mississippi river,
was given out, il meant a loss. run
ming into millions OF dollars. to the
/ personal fortunes OF the manufac-
turers of the country. It meant a
still greater loss in wages to those
who were least able TO bear the loss,
the nations laboring men. But,
whatever the cost, the order was
promptly obeyed, because it was a
/ step 10 winning the war.
Prohteering has been stopped -
that is, prohteering i'm some lines.
Sugar profteering, wheat profiteer-
ing, food prohteering in general
ended upon government insistence.
| individuals were not allowed TO
make huge fortunes for themselves
when it was done because of the
! crying needs of others.
Here is "A new kind Of prohteer-
the railroad man. be he the man
| higher up" or the Under dog" He
wants to increase his own bank roll
/ because the nation needs. and needs
most desperately. that which he has
10 sell. And, as with the other
profiteers, his unpatriotic attempt
| should be foiled.
Congress has seen ut TO pass the
conscription law. BY that act it
proved its belief II the theory that
| personal benefit must be sacrificed
for the benefit of the United States.
/ Men who were earning considerable
sums gave up their work TO enter
the draft army for $50 a month and
/ board-and they put their lives TO
an underta king which could mean
only certain death TO- many OF them.
But the railroad man-and that
terms includes presidents. managers
and superintendent, as well as engi-
neers. fremen and conductor
thinks he has the drop on Uncle
sam, and can gouse him for what
ever he pleases. He tries Threat
ems all sorts Of dire calamities if his
demands are not met And as q
sample Of his power. either the man
higher up or the trainman-prob be-
ably both. in "a way-leaves thou
sands of suffering people 10 freeze
as far as he is concerned, simply to
force his own ends.
The only reply which can be made
10 this action is a Law drafting all
railroad men into the service of the
nation. Then there viii be no dis
pUtes. and even the men higher uI
will be directly responsible 10 abe
government Now the possibility OF
passing the buck" is too great-the
temptation 70 work against the gov
lernment is too strong.
With rail workers-irom Uresi