The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-14


raid, is incidental and would have oc
CURED under any management, but
the difficulty OF securing a hearing
! Tor complaints, and the independence
! OF employees, Is aggravatiDg to the
traveller. no matter how insignificant
1.-The occasion.
/, me west is looking ahead to the
/ coming crop season and the practical
| certainty that we shall have to pay
/ cur immense sums for transportation
CT the farm products That the in
creased rates mean smaller returns
10 the producer is sinking In, and there
will be some careful figuring to see
just what 1t is costing us. Despite the
Present price level for grain and
! stock, the farmer is none too well sat
fled SO long as the cost OF labor and
implements remain at their present
figure. He is expecting that he will
l'get labor at q lower wage. but at pres
ent that has not arrived In the mean
time there is a problem Of preparing
stock for the spring market on i'm
ported corn over wide territory and
the freight added both this and to the
outgoing meat supply. All this is caus-
ing the farmer who ships stock indivi-
dually, as we'll as the one who travels,
to voice his uncertainty over the ad-
Visibility of advantages OF govern
ent ownership. re is reversing his
Former ideas when he comes in close
contact with the actual working out of
the management.
Another factor that enters largely
into the attitude OF the westerner to-
ward the situation is that OF labor.
The Increase OF wages paid to rail-
road employees OF every degree seems
20 the individual producer and the
business man out Of proportion to
those possible for private concerns.
Take the simple case of young wo-
nan who has held down position in
e bank or store at $50 month She
goes into a local railroad office at
*S5 to 800 month. Sha cannot give
rates or shipping instructions. She is
simply clerk, yet no firm conduct
ing its own business could paw such
Xages and succeed. As result, 1t up
Gets the labor situation, and. SO fer as
Ike average man can grasp it. there is
no indication OF where it will end.
The business man knows, Of course
il the farmer has not figured that far.
that there must be taxes OF some sort
to meet these wages, and he resents
burdens he considers unnecessary.
7 The business man is seriously contem-
plating the REIMBURSEMENT Of the labor
Question. He realizes that there must
be soce change when the price Of COM
Diodities is reduced. and fears what
may come Of united effort to maintain
the present wage scale by all the
-orces now enlisted under government
Adding the telephone :
army to the railroad employees, he i
appreciates that it means great /
power. i
While the telephone toll rate
changes have been in effect but a few
days, he resents the added regulations /
The west is threaded with telephone
wires. Hundreds OF farmers lines and
local lines take the service to practi-
rally every home. The service has been
30 convenient for long distance com
nunication and the charles so mod
trate that its use has become general.
'Tblic utility boards and associations
of business men are passing resoll-
ions demanding that the new rules
cut into effect ny the pos master
general be rescinded. This was done
1ldely before the rules were effective
Is the advance notices enabled users
. determine just what was coming.
The telephone -compa MES have been
t is not clear ito business why there
hould be what is in effect an increase
n the cost of service. This is connect
d with the railroads rs another ele-
nent Of government control and has
IS effect in creating q sentiment /,
against the entire scheme for govern
rent ownership. toward which it is
ending in the opinion OF this section
The middle west is always willing ,
{ be shown. 1t Is not disposed to crit
else unjustly. and indeed was in
acod to meet the governments plan ,
wore than half way, because of its !,
'ast leanings toward larger control of ,
transportation. That it has SO greatly !
hanged its view and finds. the condi. :
ions SO altered from its previous !,
deals presages a decided support from !.
he interior for early turning back Of
he roads to private management un-
or such regulations as will insure :
heir ability to give service and meet !.
be readjustment period safely Just !.
'hen or how this is to be done is by
q means agreed-but that 1t should =
ONE is a widespread opinion. IS