The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-15
RAILROADS. AND PoLTT1cs.


The railroad employees apparently
have met so little encouragement in
their efforts to force the Sims bill
thru this congress that they have
changed their tactics, and plan. by in
timidation, to elect a more friendly
congress next year. In other words
they will endeAvor TO attain national
pressure rather than by attempting
to convert the public to their views.
or by paralyzing the transportation
business thru a general strike.
The law under which the railroads
were taken over by the government
provided that they should be returned
to their owners within twenty-one
months from the declaration of peace.
While the war ended nine months ago.
peace has not yet been declared. But
the president has announced that the
transfer will be made at the close of
this year
There is now a suspicion that the
Sims bill is a sort of smoke barrage.
designed to hold up the return of
the roads until the people can vote on
the subject in November. 1920. The
stage is set for large wage increases
in the meantime. and 1t may be taken
as fact that they will be granted.
In the provisions of the Sims bill
and in the expressions of the rail-
road labor leaders. there Is an inten-
ton. in a way. to provide for capital
no desire completely to confiscats it.
Labor is to GUST capital from control.
but to continue to pay 1t a moderate
wage in its retirement
Success in business may be said to
result from the desire of both labor
and capital to earn a living. Where
the living is furnished to either the
incentive to success is withdrawn.
The work which capital does outside
of providing purchasing power for
material, equipment and expenses is
to employ the best brains and energy
obtainable and these are expected to
conduct the business with such skill.
economy and good judgment as TO
bring in the highest rates of net earn
ings obtainable. In any business,
capital controls labor because the de-
gree OF efficiency which labor fur
nishes is an important factor not only
in making both ends meet, but also in
making returns go as far as they can
possibly be increased over expenses.
in order to produce ample profits.
Labor's desire to earn a living, and
in the more thrifty classes. to save
up and acquire a competence, is the
motive power which makes labor in
creasingly efficient, In order. where
labor is plenty to retain the Job, but
further than that by demonstrating
greater efficiency to be entitled to
higher wages.
Under such a plan as the railroad
unions propose in the Sims bill, incen-
tives to both labor and capital are al
most entirely withdrawn. Capital is
guaranteed q moderate fixed return
and no more, and drops out of any
effort of energy and ability to make a
financial success of the project under
taken.
Labor under the control which is
proposed is sure of it's job and devotes
its energies to bringing political influ-
ficiency invariably and automatically
falls off under such circumstances.
Under the present government control
It is said that the efficiency is only so
per cent of what it was under private
control before the war. This" says
the Bache Review. rs bound always
to be the case under such conditions.
No matter how good the intentions of
many or even of a large majority of
workmen, 1t requires more than indi-
vidual resolve to keep efficiency up
to par. Good intentions and New
Years resolutions are absolutely mop
erative without some great impelling
force to materialize them. No sub
stitute for this impelling force in bust
ness has ever been found to take the
place of the desire for profit which
capital furnishes and which keeps the
fighting forces up to the sticking point
all along the line"