The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-02-27

They have less than third OF the
rolling stock necessary TO meet normal
requirements. The demand for trans
porfntlon facilities will necessarily In
crease during the period of reconstruc-
ton. have seen locomotives sneez-
ing, coughing, expiring every few
miles. Old, broken-down engines, the
kind one expects 10 find In museum.
was on de luxe train, diplomatic
express I commented upon the con-
iltion Of the locomotive, which came
to full stop every once In while. ]
commented upon the condition of the
coaches. The chief of the train looked
Mt me, smiled and said: If You
think this one Is bad you ought to see
some Of the Others"
The war disarranged plants and fac
tories. The demand was for NUM-
lions. Peace gave way to war and
plant equipment efficient for peace
production gave way to plant construc-
ton necessary to manufacture the
weapons of war. Plants we're COIN
mandeered. Machinery was torn out,
new machinery put in. A complete re-
construction and reorganization was
effected. Now that the war Is over and
the demand for everything Is great, 1t
Is necessary to change these plants
back and fit them for the production
needed. 1t Is expensive, it takes time,
1t retards production.
It is strange that, while everyone
can see and understand the difficulties
and delays incident to recognizing
and rearranging machinery and plants,
many people cannot see or understand
the problem of rearranging mems
lives, who for four years have been
living abnormally. The effect OF the
war upon plants and equipment Is con-
coded by the very man who refused to
see any effect of the war on the men
who were in 1t.
Women In Labor World.
During the war women answered the
roll call. They left their homes and
went to work. There Is hardly kind
Of work that can think of that have
not seen women doing in Europe. !
have seen them loading boats, shovel
ing coal, washing windows, driving
wagons, cleaning streets, conductors on
trans. Many of the women who went
into the industries were young women.
Now that the war Is over and the men
have come back there Is demand on
the part of the men that the women re-
tire to their homes. This is impossi-
BILE in many cases, for these women
have grown dependent upon their jobs
for their living. Then, too, there Is a
shortage of manageable men. Some
employers of labor have taken adj
vantage of this situation. They pay a
woman less money than they pay a
man for the same work. This makes
both dissatisfied. The woman has the
sympathy Of the working man. He
doesn't want her to compete with him
to the extent that his wages will be
lowered, neither does he want the boss
to discriminate against her.
Women have come into the world OF
work to stay. If there is any meaning
In the phrase "class conscious" they
are living examples of 1t. They are
more outspoken about their demands
than men. They sense a wrong long
before man can see 1t. They have
brought their intuition into the labor
world. They are more radical than
men, and they stimulate men to action
They have brought to the labor prob
lem new and interesting angle.
The key to the future Is in the hands
of these men and women. Production
is the door that must be opened. Mer
and women must work, or winter and
want will make a No Mans Land OF
Europe before the sun of 1920 thaws
the frost from the ground.
Children crying for bread, shiverms
In the cold these bleak winter nights
are praying that men will work wher
they pray to God for good and warmth
Their help cries are smothered by 6
great blanket-unrest. viii men heal
| them?
So sought to find the causes of un
rest, knowing 1t would bring me Close
to the heart of the trouble.
Copyright. 1890. Western Newspaper Union,