The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-11-08

- BOARD Created by Congress Is
Dr ~ Re Paramount in All Controver,
Ill Matters Between Railroads anc
Their Employees, Says President
wAcHINGTON, D. C.-The Unit
Coates government neither owns nor
,trols the railroads of this country
W. : ;s going to have directing hand
D'' .,o;r onerations, and will brook no
.oosition. either from the owners or
.5a enoIoves, in its decisions.
This if is now becoming evident, is
j., real development OF the railroad
.,ot;on during the last few weeks
2 Tl" ,a'dfrninistration at Washington has
! imr HIS rail policy. The trouble be-
.,reen the roads and the men mas cryS-
.,,;zed = rather vague agenda INTO q
4 5 1';IG program at the national capltal
and this program has these TWO iii"i'
points:
Administrations Rail Policy.
First railroad rates must come
j,Lra The country cannot return to
Y oo~r. while the present high fg-
mes exist. Freight tariffs must De
aver even if it is necessary to reduce
Gridends and lower wages to DO So
second. the United States railroad
,bor hoard is the court OF last resort
n controversial matters between the
,r,osnortation lines and their employees;
n IN decisions must be respected ana
s'5evcd if necessary by the weight OF
,4ic;a sanction and the force OF pub
& IL oninion. since congress did not see
4 4 to give the board power to enforce
4 It's own DEGREES. -, ,oo4
two weeks has been moving steadiIy
/ 70 establish this dual policy ana J., 10
compel its acceptance by all parties di-
rertlv interested in the transportation
MIDDLE One of the important steps
WAS the order of the Interstate, Coln-
merce Commission ordering reduction
IN FREIGHT rates on grain, grain prod.
nets and hav between the Mississippi
river and the Pacific coast, a reduction
& that reaches 10 per cent, one-hail VI
,bs increase allowed the railroads III
~ ',,,,,,ar;z;np the reason for its &C
+on +be commission said that agr1cul-
we was a basic industry winch the
Evidence shows is in a state OF Illldli-
III Drostration, receiving tor ITS proc
bets prices which approach ana III
Eome cases have fallen below war lev
+. IL while paving transportation COSTS
Hn2ny of which still are at the war
Ame peak
Costs Must Be Cut.
n $50 far as reduction in rates can
be reduced" said the commission, ahG
I'm far as the reduction in wages ana
&rrices which have already been nade
Effective can be converted into rate
kqdnctions we are assured that the 1ulI
kcnrn OF prosperity will be fastened
" both labor and industry.
If is SIGNIFICANT too, that the com
mission. in ordering the rate reduction
4 grains let it be understood that ooth-
rate decreases were also coming
md if is even more significant that inc
ommission, taking cognizance OF 'll{
resent restricted earning powers 81
be transportation lines, animated thd'
MIGHT be necessary to pass such re-
tnctions along to both stockholders
nd emDloves of the lines in the torn
reduced dividends and labor charges
Railroad Wages.
Going into the question OF wages
Paid by transportation lines, the lall-
oad labor board has item1zed INC
200O0O,OO0 increase given the work
srs in Jour separate advances since
9l6 and filed its findings that the
aiIroad, of the country now pay
omething like $4,5O0,000,O0O in wage;
year. or about twice the amount paio
We years ago. Goo
The cut ordered by the board, ette;c-
i've last July list, against which inc
big five" brotherhoods called strik s
otc, was p Der cent, which Topped OH
bout $470,000,000. The railroads nave
h it be known that they INTEND u
SIX the labor board for another ter
Yer cent wage reduction, to be usco
q ten per cent general reduction IL
eght rates.
The administration at Washington
as taken pains to point out during tlI'
st lew weeks that the United States
Riroad labor board is the one govern,
lent body which has been created to
cal with controversial matters, be
Tcen the railroads and their employees
nd it is becoming evident that FlTs
ent Harding is determined to nlak'
hs board so powerful i'll its sphere o
Cuon that when it hands down a de
SION, the full weight of public opin
IN will bring the necessary pressure
compel obedience to the manua''
the hoard