Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-08-26

~ 80 ~ ~
Wilson Calls Halt
(censlnusd from Page ons)
It. Such iseislAtion il not now in
contemplation I request that you
ASK tho men 70 reconsider the whole
matter IN View OF the following con.
sidesation.s 70 which I ask their
thoughtful attention a. Americans
and which hope that YOU viii lay
before them as ! here state them:
I'VE are face to face with situa-
ton which 10 more likely to affect
the happiness ana prosperity, and
even the life Of our people than the
war itseif. We have now got to do
nothing else than bring our indus
tries and our Tabor Of every kind
back to normal basis after the
greAtest upheaval in history. and
the winter just ahead OF Us may
bring suffering infinitely greater
than the war brought upon US If
We biunder or fail in the process. An
admirable spirit Of self sacrifice, Of
patriotic devotion, and Of community
action guided and inspired us while
the fighting was on. We shall need
all these now and need them In q
heightened degree. II we are to ac-
complish the first tasks Of peace.
They are more difficult than the
tasks Of war-more complex, less
easily understood.--and require more
intelligence, patience and sobriety.
We mobilized our man. power for
the lighting. let US now mobilize our
brain power and our consciences
for the reconstruction. II we fail It
will mean national disaster. The
very first step is to increase produc-
ton and facilitate transportation.
os as to make up for the destruction
wrought by the war. the terrible sea-
cities 1t created and 50 as soon as
possible believe our people of the
cruel burden Of high prices. The
railways are at the center Of this
whole process.
..The government has taken UP with
all its energy the task Of bringing the
pfofiteering to book, making the stocks
OF necessaries in the country available
at lowered prices. stimulating produc-
ton and facilitating distribution, and
very favorable results are beginning to
appear. There Is reason to entertain
the confident hope that substantial re-
lief will result, and result in increas-
ing measure. The general increase IN
the levels Of wages would check ana
night defeat all this at its very begin
ming. Such increases would inevitably
raise, not lower. the cost Of living.
Manufacturers and producers Of every
sort would have innumerable additional
pretexts for increasing profits. and all
efforts to discover and defeat profiteer-
Ing would be hopelessly confused.
II believe that the present. efforts to
reduce the cost Of living will be suc-
cessful IT, new elements Of difYiculty are
not thrown in the way; and conf
IDENTIFY count upon the men engaged in
the service Of the railways to assist.
It IL much more in their interest to do
this than to insist upon wage increases
which will undo everything the govern
ment attempts. They are good Ameri-
cans along with the rest CT US and may.
am sure, be counted on to see the
point.
1T goes without saying that If our
efforts to bring the cost Of living down
should fail, after we have had time
enough to establish either success or
failure. it will, of course, be necessary
to accept the higher costs Of living as
permanent basis Of adjustment. And
railway wages would have to be ad-
justed along those lines.
IAN that I am now urging is that
we should not be guilty Of the mex
Durable Inconsistency Of making gen.
eral increases in wages on the as
sumption that the present cost If
living will be permanent at the very
time that we are teyiny with great |
confidence to reduce Tho cost VI liv. !
ing and are able % say that It is ac-
tually beginning to fall.
II am aware that railway cm-
ployes have q sense Of insecurity os |
to the future Of the railroads and
have many nisgivings % to whether
their interests will be properly safe.
guarded when the present form Of |
federal control has come. to IN END. |
No doubt 1t IL in part this sense Of |
uncertainty that prompts them to |
insist that their wage interests he
adjusted now rather than under con.
ditions which they can not certainly
foresee. But do not think that their
uneasiness il well grounded.
II anticipate that legislation deal.
ing with the future Of the railroad
will in explicit terms afford adequate
protection Of the interests Of the EN-.
ployes Vt the roads; but. quite apart
from that, 1t iS clear that no legisla-
ton can make the railways other
than what they are, a great public |
interest, and it 10 not likely that the
President Of the United States.
whether in possession and control of
the railroads or not, will lack on
portunity or persuasive forces to in
huence the decision of questions arts.
ing between managers Of the rail.
roads anc the employees. The en-
pioyes may rest assured that, dur.
Ing my term Of ONCE, whether I am
IN actual possession OF the roads or
not. shall not fail to exert the full
influence Of the executive tic see thar
justice 10 dorc them.
Il believe, therefore, that thew NAV
De justified In the confidence that
hearty cooperation with the govern
ment now In it, efforts to reduce
fhe cost OF living will by no means