Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-09
TAFT URGES FIRM STAND
AGAINST LABOR RAIL PLAN
Declares Trpdrtite Control You'd Reuolonse Industrial
System Demoruse Roads and Be of No Benefit to Unions

advanced but for that brotherhood VIC =
tory.
No one should minimize the critical
nature of the issue. The plan is put
forth at time when the whole indus
trial situation is seething with unrest.
From across the ocean come to our
wage -earners the theories of industrial
management, Turing but pernicious,
which fail even under the iron hand of
a Ienine.
England. where relations between
capital and labor and between the So
called classes and masses are much more
nequitable than with us, yields to pro
grams wholly unadaptcd to our needs
or progress.
The high cost of living, distressing
but temporary result of war and post
war conditions, which include imitation
of currency and credits and reckless ex e
travagance in all classes, greatly in
crcascs the industrial unrest.
There are those in executive and
legislative authority who speak Of the
situation as one that can be remedied
by law. when they have no definite idea
Germ seems to be to put responsibility for
adopting such a remedy upon poli-
teal opponents.
Extremists at Helm
The railroad machine shop men are
striking for an increase beyond the
percentage of increase in the cost of
living since their last increase and arc
doing so now contrary to the advice and
consent Of the heads of their organiza =
tlOns. 1t is one of the features of the
present situation that the extremists
! IN the local unions arc now able to de
stroy the discipline of leadership which
has secured so much of strength for the
labor union movement. The Non Par
tisan League of farmers in North Da =
kOta and elsewhere is said to be in
sympathy with this railroad plan and
certainly they should be.
Into such a situation the railroad
labor leaders throw their project anC
accompany it with an ably drawn bu
specious statement in its spirit. Wha
is to be done? The proposal should
be opposed fairly and candidly, with
courage and with calmness.
1t is to be hoped that politicians vii
forget their nimbeness in lodging is
sues and will be startled by the serious
consequences of n halting policy int
bold and brave attitude.
q. o. P. Attitude Certain
' The Republican party through tn
leadership of Mr.. Hays, chairman o
. its national committee, by resolutions
of that committee last winter, lef
no doubt where it must stand on thi
! issue. AS Mr.. Hughes fought thu
Adamson law, so must the Republican
, party fight this plan. But Mr.. Hughes
: was embarrassed in many states b!
weak kneed Republican candidates fo
; governor, for senator and for Con
, gress, who hinChed from the issue. NJ
such trimmers must be put on guart
this time.
The Republican party must make {
fiat footed issue and fight it out. AL
; who are not with tho party on it arr
against it. Let defeat come, if it must
i'll the first clash. But let the part,
fight on, for our whole economic system
of individual initiative and industria
, freedom is at stake.
, Let US hope that the Democratic
/ party, too will condemn this plan an
leave the railroad men and their sup
pOrters TO run separate tickets in tn
. presidential election. If the Demo
cratic party falters and seeks victor
through surrender to false doctrines,
will be dearly bought.
, Should Adhere to Principles
h Parties which rise to the exigency O
y a great crisis and cast the political ex
Il pediency of one campaign to the wind
Q in order 10 win country saving prin
j ciple ar" those which justify their cx
n istcnce by the good they do and in tn
e end receive the public confidence and
mandate of power from grateful peo
n pie.
. In what has been said it is assume
@ that the fugitive report that the rail
o. road unions propose to force such a pla
g on Congress by strike is unfounde,
= We cannot suppose that soviet and bol
shevist methods are thus to be intro
II duCed into this country to achieve nc
: litiral results.
This is democracy. in which the ma
joriiy rules. IF railroad unions we,
Vt to seek to compel that majority to vie
= in respect of general governments
Il. and economic policy they would |
fiagranty disloyal to true democrat
principle. Such a course, if attempte
would only make more necessary steI
= resistance at any sacrifice.
ID 1t cannot be. Railroad men in II
brotherhoods are too good American
n They will certainly adopt only polite
.e methods to achieve political results.
st From an editorial in this morning
DubJic od0or