The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-08-16

be profitably employed. do not
anticipate any sharp drop in wages
or in the prices of commodities.
"Once our standards of living are
aised we never go back. After the
Civil war in this country we did not
return to the wages of so cents a
day which prevailed before that
struggle. Wages remained practi-
cally stable and when changed were
increased. We never went back to
the pre-war standards. Besides, the
| tailoring men are more completely
organized than ever before. They
are more intelligent. The only
hing that can disturb the stand
ards of labor is surplus and there
will be no surplus"
do you anticipate that control of
public utilities, which has been as
sumed by the government since
america entered the war, will be re-
linquished when the struggle has
eased ?"
Less Necessity for Strikes.
81 do not. There has always been
strong minority in the United
States which favored government
ownership of these utilities, such as
he railroads, the telegraphs and
the telephone lines. The expert
ence the people will have had with
government management of these
utilities will, l believe, convert the
minority into a majority. and pri
vate control will not be restored.
The people will not approve it,
DO you believe government own
ership of public utilities is good
thing for the laboring men? Do
you think the public would tolerate
strikes by men in government en-
ployment?"
"The great majority of laboring
men believe in government control of
utilities and great many in gov
eminent ownership" replied Mr..
Short. ''As for strikes, these are
but an explosion against an obsta-
Gle that cannot otherwise be re-
moved Strikes have been necessary
but ! believe that this government,
and also the governments of Great
Britain and France, will have, by
the close of the war, so thoroughly
established machinery for the medi-
alton of differences and settlement
If disputes that strikes will rarely
have to be resorted to to obtain
justice. Under a reactionary adj
mnistration in this country public
ownership might result in hardships
to the laboring men, but under lib
a'al administration, such a one as
that of President Wilson, peaceful
adjustment of questions of wages
and standards of living will result.
At any rate, there will be less in
dustrial strife under government
ownership than under private owner
ship"
There was little consolation for
advocates of private ownership in
Mr.. Shorts answers to the last two
questions. And it now seems the
trend of public opinion more and
more favors the government owner
ship and operation of all public
utilities.
Mr.. Short said that zone of the
great accomplishments of govern
ment control or ownership will be
elimination of wasteful competition
and duplication of service"
The interviewer then asked:
But if one train is operated, after
the war, where three trains were
operated before the war, will there
not be fewer jobs for the men and
consequent competition which will
result in reducing wages?"
"No, that will not follow. There
will be fewer jobs, but it will be
/ possible to reduce hours of labor
from eight to seven, maybe. so that
the men will be employed, and there
will be fewer men. The loss of man
power in this war is tremendous,
you must remember"
With the last question and an
7wer The Journal does not agree.
If the government retains control
and operation of the railroads there