The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-06-04
SENATE INQUIRY i
TRICK OF ROADS !
TO FOOL PUBLIC.
Managers Put ''Slnoke Screen''
About High Rates and Blame
Trouble to High Wages. =.
By CHARLES M. KELLEY.

By CHARLES M. KELLEY. Z
For nearly three weeks the sem
ate committee on interstate COM
merce has listened with marvellous
patience to recitals by railroad
presidents affecting the conduct of
railroads, without hearing any
practical suggestion for the relief
Of what every witness has de-
|scribed as desperate. and dan
gerous situation.
In its public announcements the
committee has justified its inquiry on
the ground that private ownership Of
transportation faces it's gravest crisis
and that something must be done II
the country is to be rescued from the
consequences Of a complete break
down.
Yet, in spite of this urgency. it is
proceeding in a 1eisurely manner in
it's Quest for information, ,devoting
scarcely nine hours a week to the ex-
animation of witnesses. Those who
are familiar with what is transpiring
before the committee are beginning to
entertain serious doubt as to the sin
cerity of the entire proceeding.
To Hammer, Down Wages.
The. impression is gaining strength
that a great domestic problem, >vital.y
affecting the welfare of, the nation
and involving in its varied ranaifica-
tions every other industry. and the
very life of commerce, is being used
by railroad managers, with the coI,-
nivance of Senator Cummins and his
committee, to hammer down the
wages of railroad employees. -
The Cummins investigation has
taken the form of a hearing of big
railroad managers, armed with Q, bat
terry 2!of- lawyers and@supp ported by q
brigade Of press agents, who are mo-
nopolizing the early weeks Of the in-@
quiry and destroying the news value
Of subsequent disclosures that will
give the. public a. fair idea Of what
has been done to them through mis-
| management: and manipulation OF
Transportation property.
All at Washington. -
There has been triumphant pro-
cession OF presidents before the CONF
mittee reviewing stand, each testify
ing to, the wisdom and statesmanly
foresight embodied in the Cummins-
Esch act and the selfshness person:-
fed in railroad labor. Each witness
solemnly declares that railroad wages
must come down or the railroads wi.i
be bankrupt and private ownership
will come to an abrupt end.
l. Worse things than that might hap
pen to the nation, but development ct
that. idea: may be deferred until we
are nearer the event. What should
interest the workers and all who are
open minded on the subject of de.
cent living wage is that now the Rail-
road Labor Board is considering tbs
amount of the cut which it will i'm
pose on the wages of the skilled and
unsSilled workers, and that the tes-
timony given before the Cumn1iss
committee is actually propaganda in
tended to shape the popular mind for:
, what may happen. -.
Want Rates Continued.
Another object the railroads have
in view is to prepare the public for
the retention of existing high and de-
government, through a complaisant
senatorial committee, is being used IS
medium for the dissemination OF
propaganda, and when this fact IS
fully appreciated the harm intended
will have been done.
Railroad rates are high, and the
public, in a desire to protect itself as
much as possible, has adopted other
means of transport. The motor truck
| has taken lot of freight, and some
is going through the Panama cana.
The national water courses, undeye,.
| oped because of the strangle-hoId the
railroads have had on congress. are
still further interfering with the rail-
road monopoly High rates, then, have
injured the railroads in two important,
particulars-they havo diverted traf-
fic, reducing revenue, and have
broken down the monopoly so long
| enjoyed. :. - -. :: 81 s
They Want Monopoly.
To re-esta blish it's position, thu.
transportation group now insist that
congress shall place prohibitory: tolls
on al commerce that is transported
by other means. than the railroadx
thus restoring the monopoly and giy-
ing railway managers free opportun-
lty for -tEeir play of their talents for
exploitation. In other words. the
railway point of view is that the pur.
lie exists. toTserve the railroads, which
Is the other way round from the
well-known economic theory that the
railroads exist solely to serve a. pub
lie need. .z> ~
With such absurd claims and de-
mands before it, congress must be-
fore. long reach conclusion that the
railroads are not worth saving at such
e rrice and do what should have
been done g year sag ago--put the rail-
roads under government ownership
and permit them to serve the people