The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-19


Pay and Participation in Management
LONDON, March 19.-Sir Erie Ged
des, Minister Without Portfolio, in in
PRODUCING in the house of commons a
bill TO establish Il ministry of trans
portation, said that with the exception
of the street railways the transporta-
ton system of the country financially
was in a semi -paralyzed state.
Only the municipal street railways
were prosperous Before the war rail
way capital returned - per cent; TO-
day there was a loss of from , to per
cent. Before the war canals were earn
ing ] y per cent while today they We're
worked al loss and were heavily sub
sidized.
Roads which cost the country 500,
100000 year were earning practically
no income, while harbors and docks
were earning ) per cent.
The transportation systems were ply
seally i'll equipped to meet the strain
III Ilc GGjiGltlS ilIUttt utJOi ttCtH 4ttlt1N
owing TO lack Of men and capital dur
ing the war. The country had TO face
he fact today that with the railways
there would be loss of over a quarter
OF a million pounds daily, while the
government was pledged to continue
lis guarantees for two years.
If transportation was not to continue
10 run at the cost of the taxpayer,
I 4
| icy, and the government had come TO
| the conclusion that some measure of
unified control was necessary. There
/ must be some body which should be
Irresponsible for the transportation pol
| lev II was only the government, the
minister declared, which could take
over the position.
In the present conditions, said the
minister, it would be criminal to per-
nit the old system of competition. One
block OF capital must do the work, and
not two in competition. This would be
had news for some interests, but it
was \ cold bath which the country
must take.
The government must in some form
or other have a say in the conditions
under which labor worked and with re-
gard to discipline TO be expected in
trade unions. The state must step in
at once and make possible an eco
monte balance, which was impossible
in the present condition Of things
IN order to get rid Of empty laulage
continued Sir Eric, the government
would take over the power to acquire
privately owned ears on the railways
which constituted nearly half the ears
employed During the next two years
the same organization would be con
. tinued that existed during the war but
thereafter there was certain to be SOME
: central control-commissions on which
/ the government and labor would be rep
: resented. 1t would also be necessary t
have a central control over docks ant
canals.
Naturalization of railways might
care for the present conditions-he die
not know lie looked upon nationalist
ton as a means to an end, which nigh
have to be adopted finally.
James II. Thomas, general secretary
of the National Union of Railway Men
is authority for the statement that tn
. men are ten to one in favor of a strlk
10 enforce demands for NATURALIZATION
an eight-hour day, two weeks hofda.
yearly. all war bonuses made perma
n nent, and participation in the manage
: mcnt. Similar concessions are made b.
if the Transport Workers Union. Will
s the miners want naturalization, 3
PEI cent increase in wages, a six-hou
day, and participation in the manage
: ment All three national organization
1 threaten to combine in Il great strik
III that viii paralyZe the country : life M
l less their demands are acceded to thi
| week This Premier Lloyd George ha
1 laid, would mean civil war.