Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-08-30
EVENTS OF A WEEK

vhe past, these TWO SUBJECTS nave oeen anternatngled In
! various ways. The relationship between the two was
b set forth tersely by President Wilson early in ths week
9 IN the public statement which he made in announcing the
4 decision Of the railway adnaiHistration with reeereace to
: : the demands Of railway shoptnen for Increased pay. The
decision announced was for increases amounting to about
4 four cents an hour, with certain concessions a. to hours
z and overtime. Taken altogether the award amounts to
osthe granting Of about rs per cent OF the shopnen's de-
: mands. The great body Of the men are said to be UNI
y wilins to accept this. although urged to do, 50 by their
Il efncsrs and it has been predicted that when the vote
i rejected, and that formal arrangements for o strike are
] ] authorized. .....
RI In announcing the award the president asked that
II st be understood that the action taken was not intended
to be final. He referred to the changes which were TAX
9 ing place in the whole economic system, and referred
& especially to the efforts which were being made to re-
: duce the cost OF living, efforts winch, he said. were al
Ht1ready producing pereeptible results. Under these con-
Editions. when prices had begun to decline, and when the
q prospect was for further and more rapid declines. it
d would be unreasonable to embark on a general plan of
3 wage increases. On the assumption that the present high
s. prices would be permanent, a course which would tond
a ass.scasck the very reductions which were bong sought
yasked that demands for wage increases he postponed
eaatflfIt became possible to determine whether or not the
y present living costs were likely to be permanent. II
y this should prove to be the case it would be necessary.
! tes said, to adjust wages generally on that basis. but in
atke meantime he counse,ed patience.
!. $50.
I 1t cannst properly he said that a new element. has
! been introduced into the labor situation by the attitude
9 Of the government with reference to labor disturbances,
i but there has been introduced into that situation in a
2 very emphatic way an element which has always been
q present in such cases. but which has very generally been
overlooked in the struggles which have developed be-
Z tween employers and employees. This element Is the right
1 Of the public to receive from the various institutions
= : which have been created to'serve It, and with this there
Z has also been brought to the front in very Impressive
! form the binding force of agreements to which labor
. untons have Formally given their assent.
q Forenearly a week. chs, state Of California and por-
: lions o. adjoining states have been suffering from an al
I most total cessation Of railway traffic due to a. strike Of
I tratnunen and cthers. TIE strtk. came y. a critical, tins.
8 when tbs sreat fruit crops 81 that wes3btn- eo~unttyawers
n process OF being gathered and shipped, and the west
!, esn growers were menaoed With the leb Of a larss part
Z OF their exceedingly ~perishable crop, and the country at
] large with the destruction Of an. important part Of it's
. food supply.
The question Of wages. hours and conditions Of serv-
ice did not enter into the case. There were no grievances
The strike WEE purs1y sympathetic, having beea brought
about to support the demands Of western electric traction
men with whom the railroad employees had no relations
whatever. The strikers acted, moreover. not only with
out authority from the general Offices Of their association,
but in direct violation Of specific agreements which had
been entered into between the railroad brotherhoods and
the government railway administration to the effect that
all differences Of every kind requiring adjustment should
be adjusted by boards Of arbitration without any gus
pension of work.
me npera ofscara - W. ra,r-n-. ,n..~s 49, $3.50
positive action with reference to the strike. They called
the attention of the strikers to the fact that their asrse.
{ Tnent was being violated, and ordered them back to work
on pain Of suspension they declared further that unless
this order were complied with the general organizations
would take steps to see that trains were moved promptly
Following this came an ultimatum from Director Gsnsral
I Htnes, demanding that all employees on the roads af.
fscted be ready to report for duty by 7 a. m. on satur.
day, adding that all men who remained absent after fhaa
time would be considered to have left the service and
\ their places be filled by others. Still further MI. Hine,
81 called the attention OF all persons interested, and esee.
etatly Of all federal marshals and other omclals tha
Il any interferenee with the operation Of traits or NAH
81 would constitute an onense against the United states. ant
tlA4 steps would be taken to punish All such onense.
promptiy.
AZ these lines are written IT. appears that the drastic
.INAackion Of the government with the hearty support wA.el
s@it - received from the Brotherhood chiefs, has, broke.
westsrn strike. Men have bssn returning to work
Essn4ny of them slowly and reluctantly. but they have beer
re1arnins. It doss not appsar probable that many O
|%tsA1n viii brave beth the United statss government ant
sSthS orsers q whch thsy are. m&ubsr1
s sRssSs :
aa4g After Tho first furry over tho cost Of living congress
R1Nn4 ostkIed Down to q more quiet attitude. There hay,
E6GG1 fAwsr sensational speeches on the sub1sct, ana prob.
ss.se1t So reai work. Bills who's pntpesa = . prsv.a
Nsl1sbnakh s~extortion. and III other ~sys to aid ia bringing
32S15l1e aSaIowsr, range Of pfices. an being threshsd ou
65Ss11aia1ttsss and some of them viii soon DO reaAy 10
SSt<(1A1@sHsasins h1ss bssn n prosrss6 % IN pAas Is
IN nI115Gy - packisg tadNssysA oooA del ~ tss