Evening star., 1919-09-28
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.


AS the pendulum swung too
- far? Will the American
people demand that organ
tzed labor be restrained
where strikes threaten to tie up pub
lie utilities and the transportation
systems of the country and to bring
hunger and cold to the millions of
the general public7 These are ques-
tfons that members of Congress to-
day are asking themselves. They
are keeping their ears close to the
ground to ascertain the feeling of
the country on this matter. And it
may be noted in passing that recent
happenings in both Senate and House
Indicate that the members of Con-
gress are beginning to hear that the
country is about ready for a halt in
strikes that, are tying up industry
and forcing the cost of living higher
and higher.
In the Senate a subcommittee of
the Senate interstate commerce COM
mittee has framed a railroad bill
which seeks to put an end to the
power of railroad employees. not to
quit work as individuals II they de-
sire to do SO. but to strike In the
full meaning Of the term, bringing
about a cessation Of traffic and suf-
fering to millions of persons.
Denounced in Vigorous Terms.
Also q number of senator's, among
them Thomas Of Colorado and Ny
ers of Montana, have not hesitated re-
Gently to denounce In vigorous terms
the strike activities Of organized
labor. particularly the police strike
In Boston and the steel strike
Again, the Senate District commit
tee has given every evidence that it
will not countenance the afaliation Of
the local police. union with the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor.
In the House, on motion Of Repre-
sentative Fess Of Ohio. the republican
congressional committee chairman,
that body in committee Of tho whole
voted So to 10 to strike provisos from
the general deficiency appropriation
bill which would prevent the Attorney
General from expanding an appropri-
alton Of S2oo,oo provided to enforce
the trust laws In the prosecution of
labor unions or farmers organixa-
tions.' 1t lis true that when the bill
came into tho House from committee
of the whole the House reversed IT.
self by q large majority. But the very
tact. that such action could be taken.
even IN committee Of the whole. shown
! DECIDED change in tho former atti-
tuds Of that body.
corporations-a the public be
damned attitude" It worked for =
while. But In the end the public re-
fused longer to ''be damned" and now
those corporations have been SO reg
uiated in many instances that they
It appears now, according to some
members Of Congress, that organised
labor. feeling its increasing strength.
Is adopting an attitude toward the
public similar to that once held by
big business. The right of the public
to uninterrupted transportation facil-
tiles for persons and for supplies.
through the public carrier4 If It
clashes with the right OF tho railroad
workers, must go by the board. it is
said. The public experienced a coal
famine two wipters ago. when the
suffering was intense for thousands
upon thousands Of persona That coal
shortage was due to war conditions
largely. The public. however. is not
anxious to suffer another ssfch coal
famine merely because the employees
OF the railroads desire to strike to
enforce certain demands.
People Must Come. First
Organized labor. 1t is said. must re-
member that. after all. It does not
constitute the entire Deapae. noe .
majority Of the people. and that In
the end the people must come first.
yielding neither to capital nor to or
ganised labor. Samuel Gompers. re-
Gently testifying before the Senate
District committee. announced that
the American Federation Of Labor
has approximately 1900. 900 members.
and that IL the application Of the rail-
way brotherhoods for an1iatfon with
e.