The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-12-02
RATES AND WAGES.

Cner LQdI - IyAAS ~
.t the same time contributing to
destroy values in one part of the
country and to the high cost OF lV-
ing in another, is the enormous de-
mand upon the public by the present
freight rates.
The railroads have been promising
for sometime to begin to reduce rates
but they declare that this cannot De
done until the wages paid their en-
ployees have been reduced. While tne
public was pleased that the recent
threatened strike of railroad en-
ployees was averted, the public was
at the same time discouraged by the
announcement that the Labor Board
would not take up the matter Of re-
duced wages for nearly a twelve
month, it being stated that working
rules must be first passed upon, or
would be passed on, before anything
was done towards readjusting wages.
This is was stated would take sever
al months. Now, however, the matter
of the working rules is settled and
the time has arrived when the public
should have some real relief from the
burdens of high freight rates. In this
connection, the following editorial
from the New York Herald will be
of interest:
"The New York Herald would not
be fair to itself and. it would not be
honest with the United States Rail-
road Labor Board if it did not again
speak frankly of the shock which the
boards attitude gave the public at
the time of the recently threatened
tieup of the national transportation
system. At that crucial juncture the
board took the position that it could
not entertain before the middle of
next summer petitions of the carriers
for wage reductions intended to per-
nit rate reductions The declared
reason for this inexcusable delay was
that its docket was filled with thou
sands of other cases which first must
be disposed of in order. One of these
matters, working rates and condi-
tions was of large moment. The 9TH
ers were Of more or less Importance
but not one Of them possibly compar-
able with the national problem Of
wage, adjustments and rate reduc-
tions.
"The American people are essen
TALLY a sensible, practical people,
given themselves to action and de-
manding action of those who repre-
sent them in ordinary affairs, not to
mention crises. For the United States
Railroad Labor Board to declare un-
der such circumstances that it would
not take up the gravest business con-
fronting the nation for more than
eight months, because meanwhile it
chose to devote itself to subjects and
things largely non-essential if not
trivial, was an astounding disclosure
to the American public of bureau
cratic incompetence and paralysis.
There is scarcely room for doubt that
if the board had permitted itself to
remain in such a state of uselessness
at such time and to such dire pub
lie consequences, it would have been
doomed to early amputation from the
body of this Government.
"But the United States Railroad
Labor Board, arousing itself to the
COIHptllulS HSSuS VI tliS oiIudklOilJ
now announces it's decision on the
railway labor working rules and con-
ditions. 1t, is prepared to take up the
all important applications for wage
reductions upon which must be de-
term;ned transportation charges a.
gainst the public.
"The Board thus seems to. be in a
fair way, The New York Herald is
glad to say, to redeem itself in pub
lie opinion as a Government creation
capable Of functioning when occa-
sion demands that it act or get out
sof the way of somebody that can
act"