The Glenwood post. (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) 1897-current, 1919-09-06
uacIe Tets BED time Stories
Current Events For tho Children
and arown-ups. TOO \ a.
JACK LEARNS ABOUT THE
RAILROADS

EIOIu Ill appearances JACK uau just
been dipped in coal bin. From his
head to his feet he was one mass of
dirt, and as he ran in the front door
late for supper Uncle Ted called to
him, "Well, where has my little street
urchin been this time2''
tive been down to the round house
in the railroad yards and Pm going to
be an engineer ,too," answered Jack
with great pride.
$780," smiled Uncle Ted, "you re
going to be railroad man9 I suppose
they have told you lots of things about
the railroads down there and what
they are trying to do with them.''
"Well, said Jack, "Mr. Jones, that
big fat engineer, told me I'd better
learn all about railroads and trains be-
cause the men who run the trains are
going to fix it soon SO that they will
get half the fares and do just as they
please"
"Just as thought" answered Uncle
Ted. CHOW run along and wash your
face and hands, get your sister and
hurry back here and while you re eat
ing supper I'll tell you the true story
Of the railroads."
Jack wasted little time in washing
and, after calling Ruth, the two chill
dren sat quietly, eagerly awaiting for
the story.
CHOW, children" began, Uncle Ted,
first of all I must explain some
thing about the clubs that the railroad
men belong to before telling you about
their plan to own and run the railroads.
You see the engineers who run the en-
gines, the firemen who keep the fires
going in the furnaces under the big
engines, the conductors who take your
tickets, the brakemen who take care
Of the red flags and lights and let the
engineers know what is going on in the
back of the trains, and all the men
who work in the railroad shops, fixing
broken engines and cars, belong to
club called the Railroad Brotherhoods.
These brotherhoods or clubs are divided
into four classes, one for the engineers,
one for the firemen, and so on"
"But why do they have clubs?"
asked Jack.
"They have clubs so that they can
decide just how much money they will
get and how many hours they will
work. You see the railroad men are
paid by railroad companies who have
to pay all expenses of the roads. These
companies are headed by presidents
and bodies of men called boards Of di-
rectors. They are responsible for
what the railroads do. Whenever the
men belonging to the railroad brother
hoods want more money or shorter
hours they tell the railroad heads. If
they don't get what they want they
have what is called strike. That is,
they all refuse to work until they get
just what they are asking for. Some
times men from the heads of the, rail
roads and men from the railroad
brotherhoods get together and make
plan that suits everybody and then thu
men go back to work"
"Daddy says these railroad heads
didn't have much to say during the
war;" interrupted Jack.
Ono, during the war the government
ran the railroads and will continue to
run them for some time or until the
president says otherwise. When the
government first started running the
roads President Wilson put Mr.. Nc
Adoo, who was secretary of the treas
ury, at the head of all the railroads Of
the country. That is one reason there
is trouble now. You see, during the
war we had to move our soldiers and
food Just rs fast as possible. President
Wilson thought the best way was to
have the government do it. Mr..
McAdoo had so much odo already
that he couldn't worry much about
the railroads. Whenever the railroad
workers wanted more money he let
them have it without any question.
He didn't want any strikes because it
would look bad for him. But because
he let them have their way during the
war, whether it was right or wrong,
these mon now want the government
to buy the railroads for them so they
can get all they want. and just kick
the railroad heads out without asking
them whether they want to go or not'
81 don't think that's NICE" said
Ruth.
"Not very" replied Uncle Tod.
Now here's what the railroad men