Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-04-27
PRESIDENT HAS GIVEN MATTER
EXHAUSTIVE STUDY AND
WILL OFFER SOLUTION.
LONG DEBATE MAY FOLLOW
All Agree That Freight Rates Are Too
High, and Railroad Executives De-
clare That Wages Also Must Be Re-
duced.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

StuNoh 10 railroad matters. IranSpOr-
tation seems To loom large as one OF
the vital problems OF the day.
Recently the President has been con
ferring with members of the railway
labor boaI@i. Everybody kno, /, that
the question of wages is the one which
Is being pressed for answer. The rail.
road homogeneous declare that there
can be no hope of railroad prosperity
unless wages in some places shall be
decreased. The labor men charge That
the railroads are not being econom-
lcally managed: that money can be
saved In many ways. and that there is
10 necessity today OF lowering the
wage rate.
II seems 10 be the feeling Ia Wash
ingion That when congress undertakes
legislation on railroad matters the dis
cussion will be long continued. taking
probably as much time In the house ~
tariff discussion. Unquestionably there
are men who take part Ia the present
controversy who, desire government
ownership. There are also men who.
while not wanting government owner
ship want government supervision 20
such an extent that II will amount vir-
tually 10 government control. Then
there are men friendly 10 private own
ership who say that II costs can ne nd
justed. and the ruilro; Il arrangements
can be given a free hand. prosperity
will return.
President Harding has made IL evil
dent that for time M least he does
not intend to confer with the railway
executives. but will liTat his discus
sions temporarily 10 the chiefs OF the
various bureaus of the government.
Later on Il Is known that tire Presl-
dent will ask the opinions Of the big
railway men Of the country.
Freight Rates Must Com. Down.
IL is virtually admitted here by the
government officials who have given
the matter consideration that the eX-
sting freight rates cannot continue.
Il Is charged that IL is more costly to
ship farm produce from farming sec
tons TO the cities of the East than IL
Is 10 ship TO foreign ports.
OF course there is something entirely
wrong with the whole matter and the
members Of the cabinet, aud the -Presi-
Z dent with them. realize IL. All the cab
I met officers Intimate that what they
desire Is 10 get the whole truth n they
can. After the truth has been found
they believe that they can frame some
I So a frf. NJ
that viii not cause injury 10 general
business. nor 10 the people as a whole.
Congress always has been afraid of
T the railroad question. Politics enter5
I into IL 10 an unusual degree. IL Is said
\ that there were many members OF the
T lower house Of congress who voted for
I n law a few years ago in which none
I OF them believed. and voted for IL be-
cause they. feared that a certain part
I of their constituencies holding the bal
I nnce OF power. would defeat them for
reelection II they had voted In reverse.
II is rather a hard thing 10 intimate
that some congressman are moved by
their fears rather than by their con-
I victions. but the charge is made so
/ frequently that there seems 10 be
/ something back of IL. and when one
nnalyzes some of the votes in house
and senate with view 10 the sections
Of the country represented by the vOt-
ers. the charge seems TO have some
truth back OF IL.
Wage Scale the Hardest Problem.
The biggest question today. of course,
Is that OF the change in the wage scale.
IL wages are reduced strike is feared,
and II they are not reduced the con-
tinuance of high freight and passenger
rates is feared. and II some Of the rail-
road managers tell the truth, bank
ruptcy of the railroads is feared. The
cabinet is concerned over all these
questions.
The President eventually will make
his recommendations 10 congress on
this great railroad subject. He has been
studying the thing personally ever
since he was elected. He has had advice
from all quarters. He has read. IT Is
said. all that the railroad managers
have 10 say. all that the shippers have
10 say, and all that the wage earners
have 10 say. He has barrelful of infor-
nation and his problem now is to aver
age the contents of the barrel. make
allowance for overstatements and I'M
derstatements. for prejudices and per-
haps for some actual untruths. Then
he win act in the way Of Recommended
ton. and OF course the hope OF the
business and the labor world is that
he win act In a way 70 bring peace.
and with II prosperity, in the transpor-
tation world.
Quick Work for Soldier Relief.
President Harding's committee into
whose hands has been given the duty
OF speeding up the work OF relief for
the wounded. and sick soldiers of the
United States. has held its first meet
ings.
II Is possible for your correspond.
emit TO give In detail the intentions OF