Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1919-08-08
Why Wait So Long ?
RAILROAD SHOPMEN OPPOSE
DELAY
(By John Bush)

United States and Canada are deci-
siveIy displeased with the attitude of
those in whose authority for the past
seven months has rested the granting
of living wage.
Inasmuch as the committee rep
resenting the six shop crafts pres
ented to the Director General of Rail
roads, in January last, the. request
for an increase in the wage scales
that would partly compete with the
advance cost of living, have received
no consideration they are reluctant
to consider any scheme or plan of
the President or any one else.
On February 8, 1919, the question
was referred to the board of adjust
ment of railway wages and working
conditions. During March and April
the whole subject was thrashed out
at hearings Of the board composed of
men who are thoroughly familiar
with conditions in this country, par
ticularly the high cost of clothing,
and they feel they have had ample
time to consider all phases of the
question.
The craftsmen, consisting of ma
chinists, blacksmiths, boilermakers,
sheet metal and electrical workers,
railway carmen, and helpers and ap-
prentices of each craft, are asking for
minimum Of 85 cents per hour for
mechanics, an increase of II cents;
for helpers 60 cents, an increase of
Is cents; and an increase of 10 cents
per hour for apprentices. This to be
retroactive to January 1, 1919.
The shopmen are taking particular
exceptions to the views Of the Presi-
dent in the controversy; they con-
tending that a new wage body, as
suggested by him, is useless and un-
called for. The President, no doubt,
is honest and sincere, and wishes to
see Justice meted out in the contro-
versy, but is beyond a doubt not
familiar with the facts and conditions
existing among the people of the
United States who elected him to the
office Of chief executive, owing to the
propaganda propagated by the propa-
gandists of his party. He kept US
out of war and lately has been busy
hustling about Europe advocating the
League of Nations and dining with
royalty, upon whom the cost Of living
has no effect nor do they take time
to consider it.
Representative Blanton, Of Texas,
charged in the house, August the End,
that the brotherhoods are holding up
Congress much the same as highway
men, for another unfair $100,000,0O0
wage increase. "They come like
highwaymen" says the Texas rep
resentative, "and threaten to destroy
the railroad activities Of this coun-
try after October 1st, unless their
demands are met" Perhaps the
President wants to make Mr.. Blanton
chairman Of the new board. Mr..
Blanton states that Congress must
continue in session until the increases
are granted. This may be true, but
the fault is not that of the railroad
men but of the wage board. 1t is
presumed that Mr.. Blanton, like
many more Of the statesmen, wants
to be relieved of the duties for which
he draws his salary of which a great
part comes from the taxes paid by
the highwaymen of whom he speaks,
so that he will be at leisure to enter
tain Europe's royal guests while the
taxpayers of the nation are hopeless
ly struggling to keep the wolf from
their doors. Had Mr.. BlantOn, like
other representative Of the people,
been attending to the duties Of his
office they might have prevented the
conditions which are now confronting
the nation
Profteering, by those who control
the food markets, which has caused
the labor unrest could have been pre-
vented by the representatives of the
people had they really been rep
resenting the many and not the few
The railroad men want only a just
and fair increase that will enable
them to live decently as Americans
should live in this land of millionaires,
where plenty of food is produced to
fill all of its cold storage plants
where it is found to be decaying by