The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-12-09
FACTS ABOUT THE
RAILROAD SITUATION
Bv Charles N. Kelley.


of his hostile attitude towards rail-
road workers and a mandate to renew
his attacks upon them, Senator Cum
minis announces that he will reintro-
duce the anti-strike provision that
was forced out of the transportation
act that bears his name and demand
its approval
The transportation act IS not pro-
ducing the results that were predict
ed by its sponsors. The railroads are
not giving satisfactory service, and
they have not measurably bettered
their bad financial condition even
though rates have been tremendously
increased The measure. widely her
aided as representing the best legisla-
tive and corporate thought. is in op-
Grafton disappointment all around,
to the railroads, the public. and in
very definite sense, the workers.
Senator Cummins and other sena-
Tors, moved by pride of intellect
to attempt something to minimize
popular disapprobation. are expected
to do lot of tinkering with railroad
legislation. and it is natural that
they will make another effort to hog
tie the workers, even though the lat
ter are not in the slightest degree re-
sponsible for an aggravated condition
that becomes progressively worse.
There have been no strikes anywhere.
save the strike of managements to
disrupt their working personnel and
increase the army of unemployed.
When the railroad bill was approved.
bad as It was. the workers stated
that the- intended to give it a fair
trial and do their part to make it
work. even though they had grave
doubts of its efficacy. They have
been doing more than their part. and
if the expected results have not come
it is due to the incapacity OF the
managements or the fatal defects Of
legislation that was fearfullv and
wonderfully made by the railroad lob
by and its representatives in Con-
gress.
Nobody is going to be fooled BY
Senator Cummins' platitudinous pre-
tensions of LOYALTY to the public well
fare 1t is not difficult to locate the
basis of his interest in anti-strike
legislation. The Railway Executives
Association and the Security Owners
Committee. which Senator La Toilette
demonstrated beyond question were
the real authors of the railroad bill
that Senator Cummins fashered. are
active members of the "open shop
committee that is endeavorinp to
destroy labor organizations. I,he
railroads are making a hard drive
against the morale of their workers,
solely for the purpose of undermining
their confidence in and loyalty to
their organizations. Evidently they
anticipate some trouble in consum-
mating this program, hence they want
their workers handcuffed and made
impotent against policy of repres-
sion that is both un-American and
inhuman 49, c -1i f 4'-l.
The tidal wave that carried Senator
Harding into the presidency saved
Senator Cummins' bacon, but he has
not forgotten the scare that he suf-
fered during his campaign for re-
election He expects no further fa-
vors from the electorate. In the nat
ural course of events, his present
term will in all likelihood be his last.
Therefore. nothing remains to re-
strain him doing the work of the rail-
roads. save a discriminating con-
science and that reverence for fair
dealing which the Senator in his
prime possessed but which have been
lacking in his public actions during
the close of an otherwise creditable
record Of public service.
The workers will not accept this
new invasion of their rights without
vigorous protest They may fare
less successfully than during the last
session. when they succeeded in per-
suading the House to kill anti-strike
legislation But they are ready for
the contest and it is noteworthy that
they are not manifesting any alarm
over the situation that faces them
Railroads Face Bankruptcy
Unless New England railroads re-
ceive new and substantial rate in
creases. supplementing those effec-
tive in August, thev will very shortly
be forced into receiverships- This in
formation has been conveyed to the
Interstate Commerce Commission by
counsel for the roads. who represent
ed that estimated income for next
year would be $4,000. 900 less than is