The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-03-04
RAILROADS UNDER
PRIVATE CONTROL
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TURNED
OVER MANAGEMENT TO THE
OWNERS LAST MONDAY
EARNINGS GUARANTEED FOR SIX MONTHS
No Changes in Officials Nor Other
Employees is Expected at
the Present Time.

/ congress mas worked IOT Ten years
to enact a railroad law, and it has
/ finally performed the task rather we'll
Every person who has had the re-
motest interest in railroad problems
has been given an opportunity to be
heard. During the year that has
passed congress has frequently been
accused OF autocracy by the mis-
guided advocates of government own
ership and public management. But
it is absolutely unfair to charge con-
gress with being autocratic, even
though the invisible line has often run
thin between democracy and autocra-
cy in our public affairs. Because de-
mocracy has had to proceed after the
theory outlined by Walt Whitman, it's
aims have often been misconstrued
Thunder on! Stride on! Democracy
Strike with vengeful stroke!"
Whatever may have been the objec-
tions against the Cummings-Esch bill
| it appears that in their final passage
according to Senator Lenroot, "there
are only two guarantees in the confer
ence report. One guaranty that the
owners of the railroads shall for a
period of six months after March l re-
ceive a minimum return equal to the
amounts they have received during
federal control, and the other guar
anty that the employees of the roads
shall for like period receive mini
mum wage equal to that which they
are now receiving under federal con.
troll"
! The railroad bill as it was passed
by congress creates final tribunal
of nine men, three of them selected
from recommendations made by the
railroad owners, three by the railway
employees, and three representing the
public appointed by the president and
confirmed by the senate. This tribuntl
is to adjudicate disputes between the
employers and employees. Senator
Lenroot says: 1--WE have the recogni-
tion that should have come long ago,
that dispute between railway en-
ployees and employers is not merely
private quarrel between them but
is matter in which the public has
an interest. That is recognized in
the labor provision Of the bill. The
! final arbiters will be the three men
representing the public and they can
be trusted to do justice if there be
an impartial tribunal appointed, as I
believe there will be-"
The principle established is identi-
cal with that recommended in the pre-
liminary report Of the presidents in,
dustrial conference, which has been
studying the industrial problems for
some weeks. The personnel of this
group of men is interesting, and their
names are in themselves a promise
of results. Secretary of Labor w. B.
Wilson is chairmna, Herbert Hoover
is vice chairman, while the additional
members are: Martin H. Glynn, r.
w. Gregory, Richard Hooker, Stanley
King, Samuel w. Mccall, Henry NJ
Robinson, julius Rosenwald, Oscar s.
Straus, Henry c. Stuart, F. w. Taus-
sig, William o. Thompson, Henry j.
Waters. George w. Wickersham and
Owen d. Young.
The foregoing commissioners said
in their report that the frank meet
ing of the parties in controversy to-
! Unt Sryifh nfh cIy Cd in
tions at issue always gives promise of
settlement" Beyond this explicit defi-
milton of what is hoped for is the
knowledge which it now seems is to
be applied at late hour to industrial
affairs that courts and tribunals are
the only sane instruments that can
absolutely function in disputes, wheth-
er the case be one Of simple disagree
ment between individuals, or embrac-
ing, as in industrial matters, includ-
ing the railroads, the affairs of great
numbers of men.
An American merchant marine" "
the American flag in every port" and
American ships for American goods
and passengers" has been the wall
that has gone up in the press and con-
gress for twenty years. And now that
America has, through the fortunes Of
war, acquired the greatest ships in the
world, she does not know what to do
with them. Here England, take these
German liners" was the import of the
position by the shipping board. Asked
why, Chairman Payne said that the
United States, with prohibition, could
not operate passenger ships in compe-
tiiion with the carriers with booze
aboard. Oh, shades Of the Titanic!
The drunken orgy that sank you has
failed to convey Its lesson.