The New York herald., 1921-12-16
WARNS FATE OF U. S.
RESTS WITH LABOR
Unchecked Unionism Means
Bolshevism and Death,
Says b. w. Hooper.

The survival or downfall of the repub-
lie depends on the wisdom with which the
question OF organized labor is solved, 1t
was said last night by Ben w. Hooper,
vice-chairnlan OF the Federal Railroad
Labor Board and former Governor OF
Tennessee, at the annual dinner Of the
New York Railroad Club, at which six
other members OF the board also were
guests Public opinion has decreed that,
as matter OF self-preseryation, the rail-
roads should be closely regulated, Mr..
Hooper said, and 1t will never consent to
having the Government dominated BY
either the carriers or their employees.
"The price Of a railroad strike last fall
would have staggered the nation" Mr..
Hooper said RAILROAD labor has no
right, morally at least, to tie up the rail-
roads and destroy the property, business.
health, comfort, and lives Of innocent
men. women and children. But this
moral obligation does not mean that or
ganized labor on the railroads should be
stamped out. as certain sections OF public
opinion advocated in the October crisis.
The problem Is how TO deal with just
demands fairly and humanely and how
&C. curb unjust demands and control such
activities as threaten public welfare.
"The right or labor to organize is
based on sound principles. recognized by
Congress and sanctioned by the courts of
the land. / am profoundly awed when
contemplate the possibilities for evil.
IL organized labor is to be permitted to
throttle individuality, destroy initiative,
exalt inefiiciency, dominate management,
limit production, ignore the rights of the
public and set up a class government,
then, indeed. is this country headed for
Bolshevism and death.
"On the other hand, if organized labor
confines its efforts to the legitimate adj
vancement OF the cause OF the working
man, by the procurement OF just and
reasonable wage, the establishment OF
desirable working rules and conditions,
the maintenance of an increasingly good
standard OF living and the preservation
OF the political and civil rights of labor.
then will organized labor not only serve
it's own interests, but 1t will constitute
one of the bulwarks of the American Re-
public. In my judgment the survival Of
this republic depends upon the wisdom
with which this question is handled"
In regard to the boards action in
settling the strike, Mr.. Hooper said:
when we saw the public, like a fair
maiden, suffocating In the smoke and
Tapped by tho flames on the twentieth
floor Of burning building and when we
unceremoniously grabbed her and car
ried her down to n place of safety there
we're certain fastidious souls who COM
planned because we had indelicately
mussed up her garments and disarranged
her marcel wave.
"A few sophisticated and hard boiled
individuals never could believe that did
rot promise the brotherhood officers,
when addressing them. to take some-
thing away from the carriers and give
it to them, yet this was literally true.
The memorandum adopted by the board.
which finally everted the strike, merely
called attention to the fact that 1t was
premature TO start row about another
reduction i'm wages because the board
did not propose to readjust the wages OF
any class of labor until the rules and
working conditions of that particular
class had been passed on"