Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-27
TREAT LABOR RIGHT,
ATTERBURY WARNS
Ex-Director General of A. E. F.
Transportation Sees Alternative
in Economic Difficulties
FAIR DEAL IS SOLUTION

Economic difficulties with serious CON
sequences for the United States unless
satisfactory solution of the labor
problem is found Immediately was fore
cast last night by Brigadier General W.
w. Atterbury. vice president of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company and
formerly director general of transporta-
tion for the American expeditionary
forces. At the same time, General At
terbury expressed confidence that such
solution will be found, and gave as his
opinion that it will consist Of intelligent
and sympathetic cooperation between
capital and labor.
The general addressed the members of
Department No. ., PENNSYLVANIA Rail
road Women's Division for War Re
lief on Go operation at the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Branch Of the Y. NJ.
O.. A., Forty first street and West
minister avenue. First of all. the speaker
urged the continuance of relief organi-
cations, as the entire world looks for
salvation to America-the only country
which has come through the war un-
impaired financially and economically.
He then broached the topic of labor,
and said
peace may be signed at any moment,
but the aftermath of the war is far
and beyond anything that has hereto
fore been conceived. All Of the nations
directly involved in the war are, today
down, with the exception of our own
great country. America has come
through financially. economically and
otherwise unimpaired; and to America
today the world looks for salvation.
by intention, or as result of the
war, the industries of the world have
been destroyed. Their immediate re-
II 49, 81
sire something worse than war to over
whelm US.
"The cycle of paralyzed industry,
unemployment, labor unrest, transpor-
tation breakdown, lack of ocean ton
mage, lack of raw material, inability to
reach the markets and no credit, Is
complete.
The solution is simple. if Immediately
applied. The wheels Of industry must
be started; labor must be employed
the solution is financial credit to the
world.
THE matter is now being studied by
our most able fnanciers. who them
selves realize that unless a solution is
, found our own destruction will ensue.
l am confident that in short time a
successful solution VIII have been
The solution OF the labor problem.
tne general continued, means nothing
more nor less than that the right to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness will be granted to all. And this
right will be enjoyed by all. he said.
u six essential points are adhered to.
They are: First, steady employment !;
second. a good wage: third, time for
recreation; fourth, opportunity for the
worker to elevate himself in his en-
ployment fifth, a voice for the employe
in determining the rules and regula-
tions under which he should work, and,
sixth, fair division of any profits after
a reasonable wage has been earned and
sufficient amount paid to capital to
attract it to an expanding business.
Some industries. through compet-
tion, may not be able to support good
wage said the general. Artificial
, restrictions may limit such competition,
but in general the only answer can be
Get out of business
Some business, such as our rail
roads and public utilities, we cannot
get out of. They must be carried on.
Therefore, to support a good wage
there must be either n subsidy from the
government, which then becomes a di-
rect tax on all the people, or such in
creases in rates as will permit the pay
ment of good wage and return to
capital sufficient to attract its invest
ment-a tax on the user"