Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1921-10-28
Railroads to Blame
Responsibility of Provoking Impend-
ing Strike Rests Entirely Upon
the Shoulders of Railway
Executives

New York-The general strike call
ed by the Railroad Brotherhoods may
have been a tactical blunder. The
psychological effect upon public senti-
ment may be distinctly unfavorable
to them. But if the facts were gen
orally known the reaction might be
quite the opposite.
The responsibility for provoking
the strike rests squarely upon the
shoulders of the Railroad Executives,
who by their intentional and insidious
misrepresentation have deliberately
deceived the public as to the facts,
particularly as to the wages they are
paying their employees, and have
made it appear that the reason for
the collapse of private ownership is
entirely due to the high wages de-
manded by their employees. This is
absolutely false.
The official figures issued by the
u. S. Railroad Labor Board show
that the Railroad workers, instead of
enjoying undue prosperity have been
receiving an average wage OF only
$1695. per annum, which has now
been cut 12R per cent and reduced to
$1484. or less, than $29 per week. AS
against this the minimum standard
of comfort on which the average man
can support himself and his family
has been fixed by the Bureau of APP
piled Economics at $4,000. per annum.
Do the Railroad Executives mean
that they are unwilling to pay their
employees a living wage or that they
cannot do so and operate the Rail-
roads successfully?
Under these circumstances it is no
wonder that the threat of a further
cut of 10 per cent precipitated strike
Railroad wages increased only 30
per cent (this has now been cut 1917
per cent? between 1914 and 1920, but
the cost of fuel, furnished by the coal
companies owned and controlled by
the Railroad Executives has increased
500 per cent during the same period.
Why? Because when the Railroads
were ordered to technically segregate
their coal properties from the Rail
road interests the insiders grasped
this golden opportunity to organize
coal companies of their own, who
raised the price of coal to fabulous
figures, sold it back to the Railroads
and pocketed the difference. Then
they shamelessly turned around, un-
loaded the deficits arising from these
and many other similar transactions
upon the Government under the per-
nicious guarantees contained in the
Esch Cummins Law, collected these
amounts from the taxpayers, and are
now demanding another $500,OOO, 900
from the long suffering Public through
capitalizing their debts and requiring
that the War Finance Corporation (on
behalf of the Federal Government)
guarantee their bonds.
Do the people realize that not a
single railroad has ever paid 'off a
single bond? Do they know that no
sinking funds have ever been set aside
for this purpose? And that the Rail-
roads today have no intention of ever
doing so?
Does the individual railroad bond
holder realize that the only chance
he has of collecting his principal is
by selling his bonds to another indi-
vidual as ignorant as himself?
And finally, does the man on the
street know that the Railroad en-
ployees instead of receiving the high
wages we hear so much about are be-
ing paid an average of only $4.54
per day?
The Committee of 48 has put these
facts squarely before the Railroad
Executives and they were shamed in
to silence But the American public
are differently constituted-it is safe
to predict that with the same informa
ton before them they will place the
blame where it belongs.
And If ic NOT unrea SOnah1e that
they will rally to the support of the
Committee of 48 in their determina-
ton to put a new political party
pledged to Government ownership of
our transportation system into the
field in time for the 1922 Congressional
elections.