Philip weekly review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1918-1920, 1920-01-01
LABOR OPPOSES ANTI
STRIKE PROVISION

| The Presidents proclamation
of last Saturday restoring the
railroads to their owners on
| March 1, 1920, has caused wide
spread satisfaction throughout
the country because Of the fact
that it means that there will
soon be an end to the Govern
ment's unfortunate and unsatis-
factory experiment in running
the transportation business of
the country.
| About the only discordant
note among the general expires
sions of satisfaction over the
Presidents action comes from
organized labor. Of course for
the President to restore the
roads to their owners on March
l gives labor's plans for the ma
tionalization of the roads un-
der the Plumb plan or any other
|plan a serious setback, but the
thing that seems to be bother
ing the labor leaders most is the
anti strike provision in the Cum
Minis railroad bill which was
passed by the Senate last week.
The bill is now before the Con-
ference Committee and much
will depend upon the action of
that committee with reference
to this anti-strike provision,
which was not contained in the
railroad bill as it passed the
House of Representatives. If the
conference Committee yields to
the demands of labor and elimi-
mates this provision, it may be
that there will be no serious op-
position on the part of organiz-
ed labor to the other provisions
of the bill on the carrying out
of the plans of the President and
of Congress for the return OF
the railroads to their owners.
But if the members of the Con-
ference committee retain the
anti-strike provision in the bill
there is likely to be a most Wig
.orous and bitter fight on the
part of organized labor to pre-
vent the House from accepting
the provision and there is the
possibility of widespread strike
action if other means fail to kill
this legislation which labor lea
ders consider so Objectionable.
A report from Washington
states that Samuel Gompers,
President Of the American Fed
GRAFTON of labor, has called a
of the railroad brother
hoods to consider the matter and
to prepare plans for prompt ac-
ton. 1t is said that plans will
also be discussed at the meeting
as to demands for higher wages.
As to the attitude of the gen.
eral public regarding anti-strike
legislation there can be no doubt
for practically every thoughtful
and fairminded citizen outside
of labor circles realizes the inn
portance of the prompt enact
ment and vigorous enforcement
of such legislation. Unfortunate
ly,. however, the 90,0OO,OOO or
more of our people who favor
such legislation are totally unor-
ganized and consequently the
comparatively small but power
fully organized labor group,
which has long been at work on
the proposition while the gener-
al public has been silent, is more
than likely to succeed in bluffing
and bulldozing Congress into
disregarding the rights and
wishes Of the great body Of our
people and giving organized la
Dor just what it wants in this
matter.
Then too, and most unfortu-
nately for the welfare Of the
country in this matter, we are
just on the verge of a big nation
al political campaign when Con-
gressmen and would-be Com
gressmen and Office holders and
Office seekers Of all kinds are
most keen to carry favor with
the labor element in the hope Of
winning votes. This fact, per-
haps more than anything else,
will aid the labor leaders in kill
ing the pending anti-strike pro-
vision Of the railroad bill thus
permitting strikes whenever la
Dor leaders care to call them re-
gardless Of the interests Of the
great body Of our people.
Mrs. r. G. Huss and son, DON
aid, left Saturday night for
Mitchell for = few days visit.