The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-10-26
FROM A RAILROAD MANS
POINT OF VIEW

Mr.. R. J. Perkins of this city, con-
ductor on "Sunny Jim," has the fol-
lowing letter in the Lakeland Star:
Lakeland Morning Star: Referring
t, editorial printed in Tampa Tribune
October 18th and comparing it with
editorial of the Palm Beach Post re-
produced on same page and date as
the editorial of the Tribune.
The Tribune editorial referred to
bore the title, "Let 1t Come"
I am inclined to believe that this
was canned editorial written by De-
Frees of the United States Chamber
of Commerce. In the second para
graph of the Tribune editorial there
were two questions asked: "Settled in
what way?" and "For how long?" In
the third paragraph the assertion was
made the strike is for two things
defeat of federal interference of union
programs and after the complete tam
ing of the government, putting the
roads under federal control with
unionized federal directors. My re-
ply to this is: 1t is gross misrepre-
sentation and absolutely has no foun-
dation for fact. My answer to the
first question asked, for how long, is
this: Just so long as the wage earn
ers are given fair treatment by the
railroad companies and the press of
the country ceases agitation with
their paid by the railroad propaganda.
Ny reply to the second question, in
what way? In the same way that the
Southern railroad and Henry Ford's
railroad, by settling with their men
on fair and equal basis.
| The wage board in making its
award and increases to the railroad
employees in 1920 did so on the fol-
lowing basis:
In arriving at its decision the board
has taken into considerations:
1. The scale of wages paid for
similar kinds of work in other indus
tries.
| 2. The relation between wages
and cost of living.
3. The hazards of employment.
A. The training and skill required.
5. The degree of responsibility.
6. The character and regularity of
employment.
7. Inequalities of increase in
wages or of treatment the result of
previous wage orders and adjust
ments. The board has endeavored to
fix such wages as will provide a de-
cent living and secure for the chill
dren of the wage earners opportunity
for education.
When the above was given to the
press of the country there was no
| protest from the public until the rail-
road companies went to advertising
and laying the foundation to Offset
| this increase and lay aside the labor
boards award.
All that the wage earners ask is TO
be given just what the labor board
said-wages that will provide de-
cent living and secure for our chill
dren an opportunity for education.
Have we right to this Or would
you have US to live a life of slaves
such as exist in Mexico with the
peon-? Would you have our children
grow up in ignorance and be denied
the opportunities and advantages that
the children of other wage earners
have?
The men in transportation service
are placed in position different from
any other class of employees. They
have families to support at one end
OF their runs and board and lodging
for themselves at the other end of
the run. At the present high rates
of board and lodging it takes very
nearly one-half of their earnings for
themselves alone and the family has
5, to get along on what is left, besides
there are thousands that are trying
to own their homes and with having
to pay taxes and insurance and once
Ia year regardless of the expenses,
| Uncle Sam has to have his little divvy
in income taxes from the gross earn
ings.
Can you name a railroad man that
is not a good, law-abiding citizen?
Can you name one that is not help
to the community in which he lives
| Can you name one that is a radical
and bolshevist? Right down in your
| heart do you mean it when you say,