New-York tribune., 1921-10-28
Labor Leaders Plight

AdOOI IsEduCES / kkSIAl
In his supplementary statement,
given to the press following his ap-
pearance before the Railroad Labor
Board, Warren S. Stone, grand chief
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, appealed to the public
for sympathy. In effect, what he
said was not so much that the
brotherhoods are fighting for exist
ence as that the conservative leaders
of the brotherhoods are fighting for
existence.
If the strike had not been called,
if the public does not amiably agree
that the railroad men should con-
tinue to get war wages, whereas
practically every one else is getting
less, then he foresees that the rail-
road men, in one mad rush, will
break up the present unions, which
have served them so long and well,
and come together in one "big
union," whose radical leaders will
proceed at once to smash every
thing.
Mr.. Gompers has familiarized the
public with this argument. He has
often intimated that if he were not
allowed to be unreasonable and ar
bitrary when the barkings Of labor
radicals came close, then he and
his associates would be forced
to get out. eff you don't take me-"
he has thus said in effect, "then you
will get worse" On this same
theme Mr.. Gompers has been known
to be most pathetic, and his friend
Stone of the locomotive engineers
pulls out the same stop.
But doubt may be entertained Of
the justifiableness of such fears.
This doubt seems warranted in view
Of the intelligence of the men who
man railway cabs. They presump-
lively follow Mr.. Stone rather than
the Outlaws" not SO much because
they revere their chief as be-
cause they believe his policy is
good for the members Of the
brotherhood. Can it be that it is
only habit that prevents a Bolshevik
leap toward chaos and starvation?
We don't believe it.
If Mr.. Stone is right, then we are.
indeed, affected with a grave social
disorder. II the Stones and the
Lees constitute our only ~ dam
against destruction, then soon or
late we must shoot Niagara and
learn through new, bitter experience
that things cannot go we'll when
there is privileged class which is
foolish enough to think it can pros
per when all others are miserable.
Not the least Of the objections to
the strike is that it will injure rail-
road employees.
Mr.. Stone may we'll lay aside his
epprehensions and oppose the strike
II 1t is as foolish as he suggests that
1t is. The apology that he consented
to it only because he felt that other
wise ne would be driven from power
in his organization is not valid.
This country is now, as it always
has been, the poor mans country.
Its government exists for the benefit
OF the average man. Its business
and social institutions are, of course,
not perfect, but more than in any
land ever known they minister to
the welfare Of the worker. Kick
over these things by misusing power
IN attempts to grab unfairly, and the
masses will suffer. Each has a
deeply vested interest in the square
deal.
Instead of excusing unreasonable
action on the ground that they are
constrained, labor leaders would
better serve their fellows by firmly
opposing the nonsense of the wild
men found in every human organi-
cation. 1t is clear enough from the
testimony of the five brotherhood
chiefs at Chicago that they person.
ally disapprove of the strike. Why
didn't they play mans part by
fighting on the side of their
convictions?