The labor world., 1919-11-15


Buried In Congress.
CONGRESSMAN George Huddleston's
resolution for an inquiry has been
buried in the congressional graveyard,
the rules committee, there to repose,
no doubt, until after the railroads are
safely back into the hands of men
who have committed treason against
the-governnle ent.
It is, however, unnecessary to go
to congress for proof of charges
Of railroad sabotage. Workers who
have been unwilli1 witnesses Of these
shameless methods recite very cir
cumstantial stories, and the travelling
public is familiar with conditions
Fortunately for the railroad managers,
the public has not always given to
these conditions their true significance.
It is charged, and not refuted, that
a deliberate and systematic effort 10
discredit government control has been
encouraged on practically all lines In
this country. That it has been in
very large degree successful is evil
denced by the attitude Of thousands
of men and women who hate Wall
street with holy hate, but, never
theless, are demanding that the rail-
roads be returned to them with
substantial bonus as reward for their
reasonable conduct.
Police Irritated.
The travelling public has been 1rr1-
tated and enraged with petty injus-
tices During the last two summers
drinking water was absent from many
cbaches, and when complaint was
made it was charged that this shame
full disregard of common decency was
instituted by the government.
On only few roads were drinking
cups supplied to the passengers of the
day coaches, and this imposed hard
ship upon women and children trav-
cling long distances in hot weather,
and undoubtedly created an unfav-
orable impression, as it was intended
. to do.
There has at no time been suffi-
cient coaches to accommodate the
public, yet in yards and terminals
were stored hundreds Of cars. Coaches
have been permitted to remain in
AfIthy condition for weeks without any
attempt being made to make them
clean and sanitary.
Blame Government.
When complaint was made Of these
conditions, passengers were informed
by agents Of the railroad that under
government control they were pre-
vented from supplying water and
drinking cups, of giving adequate
transportation facilities, and of main
tanning decent conditions in the cars.
Shippers have been annoyed by
petty tyrannies and have been COM
PEELED to sustain great losses because
they could not obtain sufficient cars
for their needs
On the Galena division of the c. &
N. w. r. r., about SO miles from
Chicago, there are several CONNER
cial gravel pits that have complained
bitterly that their business was being
ruined because Of the inability or the
indisposition Of the railway to supply
cars. The blame was placed upon the
government. Yet in the terminals and
on side tracks were stored hundreds
Of cars. The government was in no
sense to blame, but it will be diff
4 ferent matter to convince the gravel
mon that they have not been victims
Of a. nationwide conspiracy to preju-
dice them against federal control.
This campaign was conducted
against railroad employees, and as a
result many of them are pleading for
q return Of the railroads to Wall
s street. They realize that they will
lose much that they have gained in
the event that the roads go back to
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