Arizona republican., 1921-10-19
WEDNESDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 1s. 1921
Our age knoaos nothing but re- actions and leaps from one ertreme to another. -Naebular.
The Emergency Must Be Met

So far as the public concerned it makes difference whether the railroad strike has been called against the 12 cent reduction July or against the application of roads for a reduction of 10 per yet be made The attempt thus to fix the grievance the railway workers is splitting which can serve in no way to avert the strike and shat the only thing in which than 90 per cent of the people interested Everything else this is unessental trivial and irrelevant
 The strike may or may be illegal. but the thing country demands is that 1t shall not be- come a fact and there only two forces that can prevent from becoming fact They the rail- ways the railway workers and if either of them or both them fall down the job, either both will under such popular indignation was never before in this country.
 way has been pointed out by the public group of labor board, that group which represents the people and Is presumably without sympathy with either roads their employees neither of whom, in popular opniion. has come into this controversy with clean hands Each charges the other with vio- lations of the Transportation Act upon which both relying and the public is inclined to believe that both have violated 1t in the spirit if not the letter of the act. On both sides there have been startling displays selfshness and stubbornness.
 Our local experience with railroads do not incline toward them We have not forgotten their attitude toward in the rate There also startling exhibition of stubbornness in the
 
 asked strike out the s3 1-3 cent increase on hay which was allowed after the wage increase of June 1890
 It was pointed out to them last August that at the rate. there enough hay in the alfalfa growing valleys of Arizona including last and the crop of this to yield the roads s500000 they held for the other s250o00 And when they told that at the present rate the hay could not be shipped at a they replied no differ ence. there was nobody with money to pay for it.
 We suppose that the experience of nearly all other parts of country with the roads has been similar
 In the early days of the depression which is passing was inevitable halt for which one was disposed blame the roads. Industry natu- rally stood still take of the conditions hand and foot by the roads. Commodities could not be moved without loss to producers and then an additional laid upon consumers.
 The roads tell that this is a situation that cannot be helped Perhaps not, under the present system In that the system must be changed. urthinkable that rich and powerful country should be permanently so shackled Somehow it will find way. once the breaking point has been reached
 Under the present system and laws perhaps such a conflict looms must some time. Any plan for the averting of particular strike is only a palliative But palliatives must be applied in emergencies and this-at the beginning of winter. with the business of the country struggling to its feet. Is an emergency which cannot be disregarded It must be met at any to the roads and their workers rather than the neglect at frightful cost to the whole country.
 If the dsputants or either of them persist in their present course 1t is the duty government to act with promptness and determination.