Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-10-23

wise. It is required to add to that
amount one-haif a per cent for in
vestment in income producing
improvements, to divide the
income received about 8 per cent
rate to be fixed is based upon an
between the railroads and the gov
eminent up to certain percentage.
The government is to use Its share
of this in establishing a general rail-
road contingent fund to aid the rail-
roads with capital, to build equip
ment and lease them to railroads and
for other purposes of that kind. 1t
will be observed that this is not a
guaranty of the income of any par
ticular railroad. 1t is only a direC-
ton to the interstate commerce COM
mission to fix rate which shall
average for all the railroads 51s
per cent. Some railroads whose
mileage is longer than others, who's,
plant is not SO economical. will not
earn per cent Others will earn
more than 5 per cent, because the
rate to be fixed in based upon an
average. The government is not
liable in any respect to pay the in
come. and it is not. therefore. n
guaranty. 1t is merely statutory
rule of action for regulating the
rates of the railroads. But II has
the great merit of assuring railroads.
and future investors that the inter
state commerce commission must act
under just rule. The law also fur
nishes revolving fund Of several
hundred millions of dollars out OF
which railroads are to receive upon
proper security, advances to improve
tneir facilities. and it guaranteed
their income until September l last
IN order to tide over the embarrass-
ment OF the change from government
TO private ownership and operation.
The bill further provides for
system of collective bargaining be-
tween the employees and the railroad
OFFICIALS. Boards to consider all the
circumstances, composed partly OF
railroad representatives and partly
or the men. are to be constantly at
hand to negotiate permanently the
settlement of differences. II these
negotiations fail. a board created up
on which are represented the rail-
roads, the employees and the. public
in equal number, is to make the final
decision by a vote OF the majority, in
which one of the public representa-
tives must join. 1t is hoped that when
they render an award. the moral eff
feet Of the decision will be sufficient
to require no machinery for it's en-
forcement. The senate bill contained
a provision making a Strike to stop
interstate commerce q conspiracy,
but it was thought wiser to depend
upon less drastic sanction OF public
opinion. at least until it should be
demonstrated MOTTO be effective.
This is a great work. 1t is a work
which should make the people of
Iowa proud of their representative
Senator Cummins. Instead of this,
the opposition to him have made the
legislation the basis for bitter and
wholly unwarranted attack. Appeal
has been made to the selfish inter-
ests of groups in the community,
with the hope that by misrepresen-
ting the effect of the law, their pre-
solution Of most Diff
ficult problem. So far as the farm
ers and shippers are concerned and
their fear of higher rates, they must
now have learned lesson that low
rates which do not enable the rail-
roads to live are of no benefit to
them. So far as the labor unions are
concerned. they must realize that by
this machinery they will avoid
strikes disastrous 10 themselves and
to the railroads, and that they will
have full opportunity for hearing be-
fore a tribunal impartial by the
presence in it Of the Representatives
of the public. So far as the public
are concerned. they will be able,
thru the just decision of the tribu-
nal to avoid a loss by reason of
strikes which is far more grievous to
them than 1t Is either tothe railroad
companies or their employees en-
gagged in the strike. I concede that
this enforced system Is an attempt
to substitute a fixed tribunal and it's
award for a strike, but in a business
in which the public interest is so
enormous, both the employers and
employees must be willing to give up
their usual instruments of lockout
and strike and hide the judgment Of
a tribunal selected because Of it's
representative Character to do jus
tice between them. In an ordinary
business the loss from strike or
lockout to the public is but incidental
and small. but in the case of the
railroads. the public safety, the pub
lie health and all branches Of bust
ness in our complicated society are
wholly dependent ON the continuous
flow Of traffic by active railroad
transportation. This Is what justifies
the provision in the Esch- Cummins
bill requiring arbitration. It is not a
principle of general application, and
should be confined to field of labor
and capital engaged In field in
which continued activity is vital to
the whole community"