Daily Kennebec journal., 1921-10-29
PROPAGANDA AND RAILROAD
PROBLEMS

Railroad employees have complained
that the railroads have spent much
money in spreading propaganda and
deceived the public into an opinion
hostile to the unions.
How much the railroads have spent
in the way of propaganda we have no
way Of Knowing we have received
none of it but we have received
propaganda and such of it as we have
considered confirmed a previous i'm
preston that railroad propaganda
need not be misleading to gain its
end on this occasion; plain facts
would be- enough for such a purpose.
The Adamson law surely is not
propaganda, neither is the balance
sheet of the railroad corporation,
neither is the large volume of freight
being handled by the motor trucks.
1t is Furthermore understood that the
non payment of dividends does not
seem like propaganda to the stock
holder.
But why need organized railroad
labor, the richest and most influential
organization of labor of which we
know, fear propaganda? Hasn't it
the snews of propaganda warfare?
1t is said to contemplate the estab-
lishment of stores and banks and
there has been some thought that if it
desired it could make financial ar
rangements to take over the rail-
roads. Anyhow, there seems to be
no doubt but it could have found the
funds for propaganda had it desired:
at least, it could have prevented the
railroad managements from mislead-
ing the public, assuming the public
has been so misled.
But what could the railroad unions
have put forth for propaganda? They
might have been able to show that
the old rules We're oppressive. that
the new rules are not as bad as they
are painted, that the ridiculous ex-
actions are the exception rather than
general. Possibly they could have
relieved some impression in the pub
lies mind in that way, but surely
could not have relieved the impress
sion that the requirements on the
whole are unreasonable. They could
not have convinced a public already
holding it's nose over the rotten mess
government management made of the
railroad situation that we should con-
tinue 1t. They could not convince a
public using its memory that railroad
employees did not abuse their power
when they had it, did not shirk did
not take the country by the throat
and shake it down" for all they
could.
No, there need be no sympathy for
the rich and powerful organizations
of railroad labor that they haven't
the facilities for propaganda. They
have them in abundance. But
propaganda has been forthcoming
from their side all along the past few
years. Not that which they planned
for such purpose, nor which they
paid for at the time! They are pay
Ing now, however. 1t was spread
among people who had sympathized
with them, who had ~rejoiced because
they had been able to secure much
that it was believed belonged to
them. On their part railroad man
Rgements had unconsciously put
forth propaganda in the days when
management was ruthless, the effects
of which succeeding managements
have been trying to live down in a
measure.
In other words propaganda is being
put forth by everyone individually
and collectively, whether he wills it
or otherwise. and that is the variety
which really counts. Advertising
which is not sustained is propaganda
but it is short lived; propaganda
which is the impression made by
facts or is supported by them is the
variety that counts. There is abun-
dant need of it right now, from rail-
roads as we'll as from their employees.
If the unions would reestablsh
themselves in the confidence and
!, sympathy of the public the only way
IN which they may do it is by teach
Ing their members that neither the
cublic nor the union owes them a
Ping; that on the contrary they owe
70 their union to demonstrate that
\ are better men because of It,
have the unions to fear once
tonvince the world that union
4e the superior of the nom
t Would they need other
anda than to make this fact
fp that fact before peoples
.And this is a big job and
11big job is seeing that the
for circulating the truth are
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