The Wrangell sentinel., 1920-04-08

They have less than a third of the rolling stock necessary to meet normal requirements. The demand for trans portation facilities will necessarily in crease during the period of reconstruc- tion. I have seen locomotives sneez- ing, coughing, expiring every few miles. Old, broken-down engines. the kind one expects to find in museum. I was on a de luxe train, diplomatic express. I commented upon the con. dition of the locomotive, which came to full stop every once in while. l commented upon the condition of the coaches. The chief of the train looked at 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 muni- tions. Peace gave way to war and plant equipment efficient for peace production gave way to plant construc- tion necessary to manufacture the weapons of war. Plants were com 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. It is expensive, it takes time, it retards production.
 It is strange that, while everyone can see and understand the difficulties and delays incident to reorganizing 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- ceded by the very man who refused to see any effect of the war on the men who were in it.
 Women in Labor World.
 During the war women answered the roll call. They left their homes ana went to work. There is hardly kind of work that l can think of that l 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 a demand on the part of the men that the women re- tire to their homes. This is imposSi- ble in many cases, for these women have grown dependent upon their jobs for their living. Then, too, there is shortage of marriageable men. Some employers of labor have taken ad- vantage of this situation. They pay woman less money than they pay 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 or 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 wrong long before a man can see it. 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 a 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. Men 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, shivering in the cold these bleak winter nights. are praying that men will work when they pray to God for good and warmth. Their help cries are smothered by great blanket-unrest. Will men hear them?
 So sought to find the causes of un- rest, knowing it would bring me close to the heart of the trouble.
 Copyright. 1920 Western Newspaper Union) 
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