New-York tribune., 1920-09-08
Besiege
Train, Wildly
Cheer Harding,
(Continued from page oae)

interested in the things that specifi-
cally and more particularly concern us
as individuals. And l happen 10 know
Huntington. I take it that you resi-
dents of this great railroad center, with
hundreds of men in the railway en-
ployment and active in the citizenship
Of this community. are more interested
in the railway question than any other,
but | would not talk to you solely as
railway workers.
"You and I, ladies and gentlemen,
are interested in the railway problem
because we are interested in the good
fortunes Of America, and the railways
of this land are the nerve lines by
which we get our energies.
And so l want to say to you, the
railway workers in particular, that the
Congress Of the United States, in deal
best it knew how for the good of our
common country voted for the Esch-
Cummins bill, and want to say to you
railway workers that time is going to
prove it to be the most beneficial piece
of legislation for the promotion of your
welfare that was ever put on the
statute books of this country.
Railways Must Be Returned
"The country was facing the prob
lem of the return Of the railways to
their owners, just as it ought to return
to any man that which belongs to him
when taken for the service of the gov
ernment in war. The railways cost the
country approximately billion dollars
under government operation; they have
cost almost half as much in the transi-
ton period.
Id H. IL
two fine things, but nobody ever tells
about one of them. On the one hand,
we guaranteed the railroads SIX per
cent earnings, so that sthey could fin
ance themselves. The government had
allowed the properties to deteriorate
until $500, 100000 are needed this year
to approximate even half way the serv-
ice. the country requires, and billion
dollars more in new equipment will be
needed next year. But the government
only guaranteed to the owners a re-
turn of 5h per cent for the six months
transition period. What did the gov
ernment do for the men at the same
time? Contemplating the possible
paralysis and economies, the govern
ment also guaranteed that there should
be no diminution in wages during the
same time.
But that is not the big thing. The
big thing in the bill is that the govern
ment has written labor's bill of rights,
so that labor shall have instant, exact
and ample justice in public service.
"And l tell you, men and women,
that is the greatest forward step taken
by any government in the world-in-
stant, exact justice, upon which our
whole civilization is founded. hope
and believe it leads the way to the
ultimate solution of all industrial con-
ficts."
Cheers for Mrs. Harding
In the middle of the Senator's talk
Mrs. Harding, in a blue suit, blue hat
and veil, appeared on the platform
behind him, and the nominee was in
terrupted by q cheer as enthusiastic
as that with which he himself had been
greeted. Mrs. Harding was out of
breath, having run the length of the
train to shake hands with Engineer
Skidmore, who surrendered the train
at Huntington.
At Rochester, Ind, an unscheduled
stop. Senator Harding again appeared
on the platform and shook hands with
as many persons as could reach him
before the train began to move.
No other stops were made at sta
tlons until the tram pulled into the
suburban train shed Of the Dearborn
Street station, Chicago. General and
Mrs. Wood and Senator Harry S. New,
of Indiana, walked the length of the
train and boarded the nominees car
before battery Of cameras. After
Senator Harding and General Wood
greeted each other, the General led the
way to motor cars through a crowd of
several hundred persons.
There was a noisy demonstration as
the Senator climbed into the closed car
of General Wood. and the start was
made for Fort Sheridan, thirty miles
north of Chicago, on a bluff washed
at its base by Lake Michigan.
DEERFIELD. H., Sept. T. Just be-
fore his special train departed tonight
for st. Paul and Minneapolis, Senator
Harding made a ear-platform speech
to crowd of townsfolk. describing his