Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-05-07

fHE RAILROAD SITUATION HERE.

TIE HAtiffOaD III thii'-' -
No reasonable man can take excep-
Bon to the sentiment expressed by A
+. Clark in his letter published in the
EVENING NEWS yesterday in regard
DO the railroad strike which Is still
krippllng the Industries the bust
hess IN this city generally. These are
hytnc times. we all know. and it IS
mighty hard TO make ends meet. 1t Is
bot surprising that there is much I'M
rest throughout the land. We have
The utmost sympathy for the man with
} family these days. TO feed and
tIothe the little ones. not to mention
bay the rent Or meet the
constantly increasing taxes. and
maintain even the customary standard
pf living is some proposition. 1t is all
well enough to Joke about the silk
shirts. the twenty dollar pair of shoes
and ali that, but, after all, the hard
working, conscientious parent is not
indulginz in such things. He Is facing
hbout the hardest problem that has
sver confronted him in his life II
the worst of 1t Is, hs does not seem to
b. getting anywhere.
But in his respect everybody seems
10 be In tho same boat. Some. how
sver, appear to be hit harder than
others. No matter who o meet, be
he manufacturer, merchant, contrac-
sor, or Just the ordinary salaried maj
pr Iaborer. he viii relate experiences
that Will make the old-time hard luck
story sound like a fairy dream.
1t is an economic condition that
affects the whole world. In fact. as
hard az It IS for us to realize 1t, those
who arc hit the hardest in this country
are far better off than any of the peo-
pie of Europe. The world cannot pass
through such an upheaval as 1t has
5ust experienced, with five years of the
most destructive warfare ever record
ed in history. without everybody feel
ang the effects of it. And the cover
cannot take place in a year or two
years.
Patience and hard work are the only
solution to our present difficulties
patience until the world has had a
chance to get back to q peace basis.
and hard work to speed up production
and make good the s%tupendous losses
that tho wal has caused.
But there are times when 1t seems
that patience almost ceases to be a
virtue. and hard work With little to
show for it as far as lettering ones
condition Is concerned becomes dis
conraging after awhile.
In the case of the railroads, the
patience of the employees became ex-
hausted. Eight or ten months ago the
men handling switches and working in
yards felt that they were under
paid. They threatened to strike. The
government was then in control of the
railroads and the men agreed to re-
main at work pending a readJustment
OF schedules.
In the meantime congress passed a
law returning the railroads to private
ownership, but also enacted a law
Whereby a commission should be
appointed that would adjust all dis
putes between the railroad companies
and their employees.
Month after month went by and still
no commission was named and the
railroad men were still patiently wait
ing for the promised adjustment of
their wages to take place.
Finally something happened in one
OF the railroad yards in Chicago. The
switchmen and drill crews quit work.
THE trouble spread like n prairie fire
to other railroad centers and soor
rail transportation was paralyzed
almost from one end of the country
to the other. 1t was a unanimous
protest OF the railroad employees
against the inaction of the govern
ment.
The strike had instant effect. Pro
testing hat he had been unable to
md suitable men to serve on the rail
road labor board, President Wilson. as
a result of the forceful reminder OF
the strike. soon had the names o.
commissioners before the senate fol
confirmation. This was promptly dom
and an adjustment of the wage seal
for railroad men was taken up a
once.
Thus far the strike of the railroad
employees was q decided success. L
aroused the government TO It's sense o
duty aad secured prompt action. I'm
less the railroad men are afraid &c
trust their own government and are
lrfady TO declare 1t a failure they vii
rtst with the victory thus far gained
IN forcing the government to actor
sr.1 ahida nv the outcome.