The diamond drill., 1921-10-29
sELrsHNEss THE CAUSE

The underlying influence dominating
almost every phase of the proposed
strike OF the railroad train men is
selfishness; selfishness on the part OF
the railroad companies as well as on
the part OF their empoyes. Railroad
management for the past quarter OF a
century has been steering up to the
very end that Is revealed in the pres
ent day threats and counter threats on
the part OF the railroad labor and rail-
road managers.
The supreme degree OF selfshness
is shown by the railroad employees who
refuse to take any part OF the burden
OF readjustment upon themselves.
Their attitude toward their fellow
workingman and towards the public
In general is one OF get all You can for
yourself regardless OF how II effects
others. II makes no difference with
the greedy, unsympathetic railroad
employee that the miner, the mill
worker, the construction worker, is
Suffering because OF the extremely
high cost OF living which. to a great
degree. Is induced right now by the
exorbitantly high rail freight rates.
Its OF no matter to him that industrial
conditions are completely upset and
a speedy return TO a fair basis OF
costs and prices Ia necessary 10 bring
back prosperity to the nation. His
wage must stay where 1t is and he pro-
poses to use his power to bring hard
ship to the balance of his countrymen
TO gain his point. The fact that the
hurry bu-ly OF war conditions brought
TO his calling certain wastes and ex-
travagances that really bring him no
great advantage but which greatly
impair the efficiency OF the railroads
as a public serving agency is passed
over lightly by him and he attempts TO
excuse these conditions by pointing 10
equally waseful and vicious conditions
in railroad management He has a
strangle hold upon the nations means
OF subsistence and he is going to shut
of the wind OF every other line of in
dustry in order to enfirce his purely
selfish ends.
On the Other side we have the rail-
days OF financial buccaneering set up
the god OF greed and selfishness in the
temples OF our transportation system
and are still worshiping him. To gain
their end, TO win gold they misused
their employees and maltreated their
stockholders in sellesh. dishonest de-
bauchery. Railroad managers were
more concerned in watering thei-
roads stock and passing Il out 10 the
public than they were in developing
measures and means for promoting
efficiency among their employees. Rail
road trainmen tell you that their work
brings with IL extra expense because II
is a calling that takes them away from
home and they are right in their claim
This argument has been one OF the
most forceful fo- n higher railroad
wage all these years. II Is especially
poignant now with the exorbitant ho-
tel and restaurant rates. Has anyone
seen the railroad managers making
any effort TO alleviate this condition.
to equalize the necessary expenses OF
their train hands with those OF other
employment? Railroad men are COM
PEELED TO sleep In cabooses in order to
make ends meet while engineers and
firemen must pay tribute 10 the
greedy hotel keeper. Railroads are
spending millions on fine terminal
buildings. on round houses and other
places OF show but scarcely any In
providing lodging accommodations for
their men. The inefficient department
divisions within the railroads the
maintainance OF which causes untold
waste by the saddling of burdens by
one department upon another is an
other instance OF the selflshness dom
mating the whole railroad controversy.
Sooner or later these conditions
must be eradicated from nj 4 quasi
public institutions IN this nation n We
are 10 grow and prosper. SO long as
the railroad wage board and other
governing bodies tempo-ize with these
unhealthy basic conditions in our
railroad system. 80 long will the ma
tion be ground between the upper and
neither mill stones or managerial sell
hshness on one side and the selfish
nes@ OF disloyal disobedient and In
efficient employe personnel on the
other.