Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-18
NO END OF TROUBLE FOR
EvERYBoDY'S UNCLE SAM
Rail Unions and Corporations, Like
the Nations Of Europe, Unload
on His Doorstep

~ hero worshipcrs have any better
sense in the future than they have had
in tho past. there yet may loom ma
icstic statue Of pcstcrCd aud patient
aud grimly humorous old gentleman
with a star spanglcd hat aud an ag-
grcssivc tuft of chin whiskcrs. That
distinguished relative of yours, who
happens to be known all up and down
the world as Sam. has become the
greatest piuchhittcr of history.
1t will be no new experience for him
il the railroad corporations hastily lay
new assortment of troubles on his
doorstep. lie is used to bearing other
peoples troubles. lie has been doing
little else for five years.
The proud old nations of Europe
driftcd and gamblcd and rioted and
didn't hesitate to lift disdainful eye
brows at the plain ways of your uncle.
When they came TO the inevitable
smash they begged him for help and
guidance Even then they often were
uukindly critical of his good works. But
they shipped their troubles to him T.
-. b.-Francr. Britain, Italy. Belgium.
Armenia tZcchO SlovukiH. Poland. the
Rhine and poiutS cast. Little bCwildcrcd
nations clung about his knees like chill
drCn. and he gave them 80 much food
that he didn't have enough left for
himself. In return they, too. gave him
their troubles and. occasionally. sus-
picious stare.
To man who has bccn accustomed
to shOuldcring the troubles of world
and who had to remain the one steady
ing force in a general uphraval. the
troubles of national railway system
would seem relatively light. The rail-
way people yearnrd to be free. Now,
apparently, they ycaru TO be controlled
for another while.
One might suppose that this uncle OF
yours is gifted with supcrhuman
strength or divine wisdom. lie isn't. lie
has only the two great virtues of pa
thence and humOr. which are his be-
cause he is the embodiment of the little
understood. unapprcciatcd, but SUI
prcmely important Average Guy.
II is by the average man that the
problems Of government and railways
will be settled in the end. The average
man has humanity. patient humor and
common scnSc-virtucS that can some
times be lost in the requirement of
( what is regarded n higher knowledge.
! There iS in Washington no special
talent for the operation of railway lines.
The rail system was badly maulCd
I during the war. It couldn't be helped.
The corporation managers and the
labor leaders have been variouSly aud
! pirturcSuurly accused and indicted. The
, simple fact is that they. like almost
| every one else. have been caught aud
. temporarily overwhelmed in the back
/ wash Of war and driven in n tide Of un-
regulated crOuomic forces that was lib
Grated at the instant when the re-
Struiuts of war discipline were lifted
from world totally changed. Mr.. Lee.
! Mr. Stone and other leaders Of the rail
! unions insist that most Of their men
+ arc variously haruSNcd ard unable to
/ make ends meet. They seem to be tell
ing the simple truth. Thry do not al.
WAYS remember that their bosses are
/ harusScd too. and unable I" make ends
, meet.
/ II it were otherwise tho corporations
/ would not again be looking TO tho
/ shelter OF government direction.
Tho money that is necessary to put
! the roads on basis of peace and ctii
cheney cannot be found and tho i'm
puticncc and suspicious which employees
/ feel nS the consequence of hardship dc
not make the problem Of reconstruction
any easier.
What does one do when hr gets his
, back to the wall like Sir Douglas IIaiE
/ lie rings up your uncle. lie lets San
do it,
The railway managers have thCil
/ bnrks to the wall because high costs press
! quite as heavily OH corporations as they
! prc>s on individuals. The rail cNCru
I ,ivcS would probably welcome an inter
val in which they might get second wind
for another try at their terrific task
Terrific their job really is. Europe was
n vacuum that absorbed the energy. the
money and the materials necessary 70!
railroad prosperity in the United States
| What remained of these essentials ha,
had t. be spread ont rather thin for the
.
everybody i willing to scramble.
II Ina, been supposed that tho now
Railway labor board now beginning
the first Of its important hearings al
ChiraCo. would be able to find an easy
aud uuirk way out Of confusion for th,
rail lines. But the railway board is II,
better able to bring about peace anc
efficiency on the railroads than car
pcutcr would be to build n house with
out lumber.
Bcforc increases sought by the MOI
can be ordered Congress and the Inter
state Commerce Commission must tell u
where the money Is to come from. Adj
ditional revenues must come out of tn
land. ont Of industry. and in the en-
out Of tho labor Of the average citizen
And merely to increase rates cndlcssl
, i, 10 run tho risk Of putting too hcav
n burden on the producing agencies an
to leave the industrial aud cOmmCrcif
life Of the country in danger of slo,
ytrnngulation. Moreover. it will reuur
} the best part Of a year for tho Railwa
Il I ,I,r pnnrd and thc yurintty rcgi,n,