New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-01-30


on the laborcr, who under the scale
of high cost of living must De en-
ployed or starvc.
.JTnder the stress of these trying
conditions. we don't want the govern
ment to be the chief employer and
thus drive industries out. That Is
and has ben one mark of the admin
istration.
Railroad Problem.
eve took over the railroads during
the war because the law forbade uni
fication of railway facilities, which
was necessary to secure the maximum
of service from them. We had to use
them as one system during the war
to secure the greatest result Tor the
United States. The sherman anti
trust law Of 80 forbade our romb'n-
Jag the railroads and We couldn't re-
peal that law because the people
wouldn't allow that. The railways
were obliged to take orders from the
Interstate commerce commission; they
were obliged to take orders from
congress-both bodies were telling
the railways what to do-congresS
told the railways what they had to
pay in wages under the Adamson
law. The railways found themselves
blbcf congress ana ullder llt llhcl-
state commerce commission and they
were left with no power but to pay
the bills that congress helped to
bring upon them and increase.
I'VE had to take over the railways
because of the limitations of these
laws. Certain limitations of these
laws. Certain improvements have
been made on them that we ought to
hold to. Whether or not YOU agree
with me, | don't know-therc's no
violence III disagreement, but one
thing must be done. You can't profit
ably run the railroads under the laws
at present on the statute books Con
&ress has increased the operating eX-
penses over $700,000,0OO, which can
not now be reduced. If we turn the
roads back now the roads will face
bankruptcy, and the administration
says if we don't continue to run them
for five years it will turn them back
which will mean bankruptcy. That
Is threat. Wen neither turn the
roads back nor continue to run them
but we will change the laws
The new Congress does not vet
exist; constitutionally, it cannot meet
until December, unless called by the
president under a special order. I
have advised republican members of
the present congress to clean the
platter OF legislation by the fourth of
March, when the present congress
dies And then we will say to the
president that we are ready to inaug-
urate Il new railroad program. 1T is
up to you to call us into special SEES
sion in the interest OF the public to
solve the question Of their INTERESTS
IF he does not call a special SEES
sion, we can't do it. Then the waste
and inef1CiencY can be put squarely
up to the democratic administration.
l want it known right here that we
are not going to block anything in
the present congress.
MY suggestion will then be that
there be an Incorporation by the ma
ton of the railways, that there be a
railway administration of some form,
but the railways be given to their
owners to operate, but under govern
ment control, for the sake Of the pub
lie which pays the bills.
will he call us?
II wish you would tell me-
Then there is the merchant ma
rine. Never again will America en-
ploy her competitors to carry her
goods on the seas. Wo will build and
continue to build a large American
merchant marine and go on the sea
to stay there, even If it means a sub
sidy to tho labor OF the country.
Criticism of Gompcrs
What are we going to do to pre-
vent the possible confusion growing
out Of the rehabilitation Of our mill
tary forces If there arc moro laborers
than places? ! wish I could get the
ear of the labor of the country, whose
sympathy l have always had because
I have known nothing in my life ex-
cept to labor. My sympathies have
always gone to the people who toll.
Mr.. GomperS-4a great leader IN a
way--has done q great deal against
the possible dnger of the spreading
Of Bolshevism in this country, but he
made a remark the other day in my
presence that labor will not relinquish
any Of the benefits which it received
from the war.
Il am sorry that a great labor lead
er can make that staten ent l am not
sure | know just what he means. If
! he means that labor will take no less
in wages than it received during the
war, it is very unfortunate and very
| wrong"
Congressman Fess then told of Il
| strike Of coal miners for HIGHER wages,
| in spite Of the fact that they were re-
! ceiVing two and one-half times the
amount of the wages they received
| before the war. He continued:
: IF labor refuses to make conccs-
i sions, the danger is that the product
| of your factory cannot be sold. be-
| cause it will cost too much, and no
| industry can continue to employ labor
ti1In r1onIN bn
| prices are so high in the market. This
| will create a situation wherein pro-
duction and consumption Will be in