Evening star., 1921-03-11
Renewal of Agitation for U. S.
Ownership Expected, But
Republicans Will Oppose.
G. O. P. PLATFORM GIVES
FAIR NOTICE AGAINST PLAN
Roads and Employees Must Abide
by Transportation Acts -
Terms.
BY n. o. MESSENGER.

IT looms as n certainty that the
railway wage and labor problem VIII
confront Congress Immediately upon
the convening of the extraordinary
session in April. BY concerted
movement the great trunk lines east
and west have declared that they can
not operate with profit at the present
rate of wages and under the restric-
tions of current practice. The trans
portation act requires that before re-
ducing wa;:es the roads must confer
with their operatives. seeking to
reach an agreement. failing which the
case goes to the labor board. The
roads have taken this initial step ana
called for conferences with the men,
The chiefs of the railroad brother
hoods have declared within the last
twenty-four hours that the men can
not accept reduction in wages; that
prices of commodities which they
have to purchase have not fallen to a
point to warrant acceptance of a re-
duction in pay.
Probable Action by Congress.
The part which Congress is expect
ed to take in the serious situation
which is threatened by this impasse
is to investigate the claims OF the
railroads that they are not earning
to ascertain why this is SO. Senator
Cummins, chairman of the committee
on interstate commerce in the Senate.
expresses surprise that the railroads
are earning about one-fifteenth of one
per cent a year on their value. and
believes that something must be
wrong in such a condition.
Senator Cummins propheSies that
Congress will so into the relation be-
tween increased wages and earnings
and consider the extent to which
overhead charges may be too high
and how much the increased price Of
materials affects conditions, as well
as the railroads claim that their main
troubles come from the swollen pay
frolls.
Wage increases were granted to
railroad operatives during 1916 and
1917 to the extent of $350.000,0 ,000.
During the period of federal control
the wage increases amounted to ST.
o50.000.00o. In 1914 the average wage,
of railroad workers was $s14. and to-
rolls of the railroads has as-texpanded'
from S1sI34.0oe.eoe to &3.s0o. .0o0.09 80
Plan Of Orderly Proeeaure.s
The orderly procedure in the contest
between the railroads and their wGfk-
men. which Is now precipitated Would
be through conferences between the
employers and their men. with final
oPPNdi W tut INdliTOdu l<dOOT bOaIO.
But congressman apprehend that it
viii be impossible to keep the ques-
tion out of Congress on account of
pressure which will be brought by
the railroad operatives
The impending situation is regard
ed everywhere as very serious.
The main question. of course, will
be to prevent general strike The
best thought in Congress is that
nationwide strike is improbable. The
railroads are united in their determi-
nation to wipe out some of the al
legged inequalities of pay and practice.
and widespread strike with it's dew
astation to all classes of industry
and the misfortune 1t would bring to
the operatives as well. can be OBJ
Waited. it is believed
Government @Ownership Move.
As feature of the consideration of
the question by Congress IL is ex-
.pected that there will be a renewal
of agitation for government owner
ship of the railroads or control
through the Plumb plan.
This administration is steadfastIy
opposed TO anything of this kind. The
opposition will extend from the head
of the administration through the
cabinet and into the Congress, where
the overwhelming republican majority
Is deemed TO foreclose favorable ac-
tion.
The republican platform opposed in
the most downright manner any
squint toward government ownership
on this subject IL said:
We are opposed to government
ownership and operation or empIoye
/. operation of the railroad That open
: ing paragraph in the platform dis
posed of the Plumb plan or any modi-
fcation of il. The platform went on
to say: I'm view of the conditions pre-
yailing in this country. the experience
OF the last two years and the conciu-
sions which may fairly be drawn. in
observation of the transportation sys-
TENS of other countries. il is clear
that adequate transportation service
both for the present and future can
eb furnished more certainly. econom;-
Cally and efficiently through private
ownership and operation under proper
regulation and control We in
dorSe the transportation act of 1920
enacted by the republican Congress as
most constructive legislative
achievement"
Seen ns Fair Notice
This declaration is fair notice that
Congress will insist upon the rail
roads and their men abiding by the
transportation act. Congress reserv-
ing 10 itself the right to investigate
actual conditions and the facts an 10
whether both sides are living up TO
the terms imposed by the act
The railroad question. in the iudp-
ment or congresmen Interested in the
subject, promises to absorb attention
along with taxation and the tarifY
and may take precedence OF both sub
1ects.