The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1919-01-07
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EDITORIAL MUSINGS.
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When the Government Intervenes.

When the Government Intervenes.
The unity of purpose that in
spired labor and capital in war time
constituted one of the finest exhibi.
tions of loyalty that has ever been
born of Democracy. Now that the
war is all over but the shouting,
complicated questions are arising
out of the instance by various inter
eSts that conditions be recognized as
permanent which were clearly
ad0oted to meet war emergencies.
The people Of the country expect
that prices will fall, but it is hardly
q tribute to human nature to observe
that most producers want the reduc-
tions to descend on some other than
themselves. In these columns we
have considered that affairs of the
mupition manufacturers, the steel
interests, public utilities, shipping,
ETC., and so we will turn a leaf in
the story and take into account the
problem Of labor considered in con-
nection with the policies adopted by
the Government.
Under date of January Is, 1918,
the Director General of Railroads
appointed a Railway Wage Commits
sion, and acting upon their recon-
mendation the recognition of the
basic eight hour day followed, and
a general advance of wages was ap-
proved, amounting in some cases to
43 per cent, and this increase was
made retroactive to January 1, 1918.
BY further orders the wages of all
persons employed in the service I'M
der the Railroad Administration
were advanced. Mr.. McAdoo, in pro-
mitigating his order. declared that
further steps would be employed in
order to do practical justice to the
1000 900 railroad employees of the
country" To this be added the
Earnest hope that railroad officials
and railroad employees will realize
that their relations under Federal
!. control are not based upon the old
conditions or private management.
The Federal Trade Commission
estimates that 100000 people be
came engaged in war work. Practi'
caIIy all OF them, outside railroad
EXPRESS and wire employment are
now shifting for themselves; read
f,.stane their own affairs. They have
retu,ned to what MIR. McAdoo con-
demas as 1.-THE old conditions OF pri-
vate management" But it will be
re.dslv recognized that the brother
hoods engaged in railroading employ
mont have fastened their war emer-
~enry methods very firmly upon the
railroads in peace times. and tha'
wholly through the intervention OF
fbe Government in their behalf.
Organization" Becoming Habit
even with the dissolving war
clouds there is no Iet-up on th'
nrass,lre being brought npon Wash
fngton to recognize labor in organic
e5 groups wherever the interests o
anterprises or industries can be mad
to appear as being connected witt
the conduct of public business
Tb,E it appears that railway EN-
,,oyees. telegraph, telephone and ex
,ress employees have already acauir
I'D the habit of making bee-lin
fpr Uncle Sam to settle all OF thei
wage controversies. This same cor
dftion existed with reference TO a.
of the different lines OF employment
connected with war work up to In
time of the cessation OF hostiiitle'
Apparently the institutions tina
have coupled up with the Govern
meat expect the federal machinery
teeD their salaries at the top note
no matter what happens to the res
of mat giant class OF citizens wn
cxJ1 themselves workers"
The Merchant Marine.
Edward n Hurley, the hard hi
ter. who should be given most OF til
credit for putting ships into the W
Tar instead of making them an issr