Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-09
Return to Work the First step

. ESULTS of President Wilson'S message to
~ the striking railroad shopmen, delivered
10 them through Director-General Hines are
awaited They should be apparent within
the next twenty-four hours If his counsel
Is accepted in the spirit in which it is given
the strikers will return to their task fully
assured from the highest possible authority
that their demands will be considered on
their merits and promptly. II his counsel is
rejected, as the strikers already have rejected
the plea on the part of their own organization
that they have a little more patience, the
trouble will spread and few DAYS may see
every great industry tied up, the wheels of
commerce stilled and distress and hunger
ravaging tens of thousands Of American
homes. From hunger to violence is but
short step That possibility cannot be con-
tempated without shuddcr
President Wilson wants justice done to
the railroad workers and he has moved TO
see that 1t Is done. He is their representative
IN Just as great a measure as he Is the repre-
sentative of the railroads now under govern
ment control His message to them, although
firm in tone, is friendly, and while it may
not rightly be termed an ultimatum it makes
u suihciently evident that he will not be
driven into ill-considered action The facts
seem to justify his attitude. He realizes
as do many OF the strikers themselves, that
with the railroads at a standstill industrial
chaos and the men acting outside organized
channels, 1t is impossible TO reach a detcrmi-
nation Just and fair to all concerned How
ever their patience may have been tried by
seeming unconcern on the part Of the gov
eminent, the fact cannot be blinked that the
workers broke away from their duly ac-
credited leaders and laid down their tools
without official orders to do so In this re-
spcct they violated their labor agreement
AS token Of good faith they should accent
the Presidents word return to work without
delay and trust to his promise of prompt adj
>ustIncnl of their difficulties He never has
betrayed them; he never will bctray them.
Few persons are inclined to blame the
shopmcn for their mpaticnce except that Il
leu them to prccipitate action. They laid
thcir demands before the director general in
February. They waited five months for an
answer and none came. Meanwhile living
conditions became more desperate and finally
they broke away from organized control
sun II must be borne in mind that the rail
foao administration is in difficult position.
It's dchcit increases, its revenues fall of and
u must ask the money from Congress or in
crease rates If the men to be given tho
higher wages they seek. That, however,
must have been forcsccn months ago and IL
does not excuse the months the men have
been ignored 1t would have been easier to
adjust the differences then than it is now
| when action is forced But the situation IS
| Tar from hopeless, and if the strikers realize
| the Justice of the Presidents position and
! 'hey can hardly fail TO do so. the road will
DC opened Tor quick and satisfactory set
lIcnchl. With that out of the way Congress
| then can proceed to a more deliberate CON
! sidcraton of the whole complicated sabor
| problem