The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-10-22
A RAILROAD STRIKE.

n RAILWAY 0A0AAos
The country is holding its breath in
fear of railroad strike, and well it
may, for a strike is certain unless the
railway executives come down or arc
fetched down from their high and
naughty perch and condescend to treat
with the accredited representatives of
their employees in reciprocal manner.
The executives seem to be counting
a strike. Such among them as F. D.
Underwood are welcoming one; they
want it to come; they seem to think
they will succeed in beating labor and
crushing forever the railroad organiza-
tions, in which event they will be per
mittcd to exploit the workers to the
limit on one hand and to gouge the
public on the other without hindrance,
provided they can continue to run the
government. That's one view Of the
situation:
Shortly following the war a group Of
influential newspapers in the United
States changed ownership. 1t has been
charged that the money to purchase
that group Of papers was furnished
from Wall street, from the interests
that have been engineering the nation
wide campaign against labor, and which
have been propagating the country in
behalf Of winning sympathy for the
bankrupt railroads. In any event a
wonderfully we'll equipped publicity
bureau has put the case of the railroads
and Of big business up to the people
in such dress that black has been
proven. to be white, and shoddy cloth
is all wool.
What is that easel "The railroads
were wrecked by the government dur.
ing Federal control. They were hand
ed back to the owners bankrupt in
capital, roadbed and equipment. The
wages Of the employees had been raised
to an exorbitant figure and the cost OF
doing business since the roads came
back to them is so great that thes,saSs
been forced to exact from thss 1Pd6fic
exceedingly high carrying charEes.'
That's their story and they have
made, with the assistance Of their con-
trolled newspapers, a goodly number Of
American people believe them. They
have drawn billions in money from the
United States treasury to help them
recover from the "damage done under
Federal control.' They are asking for
: 4 half-billion more and one branch Of
Congress has already voted them that
sum. They have served notice on the
administration that they will be back
after more.
When the last increase in wages was
granted to the railroad employees the
government very kindly authorized an
increase in carrying charges held to be
necessary to meet the new scale and to
provide FOR the guarantee made in the
Esch -Cummins law. But since the
wages of the employees were lately re-
duced the railroads have refused to
consent to a. reduction in freight and
passenger rates. They now say that if
the railroad labor board will make a
further cut of 10 per cent in wages
they will consent to reduction in rates
but they do not say how much.
On top Of the reduction in WAGES
forced upon the employees by the rail-
road labor board the managers are now
attempting to take away from the men
working conditions they have spent 80
years of effort in getting. Overtime
pay, terminal time, waiting time and
such are among the conditions they
would abolish. That's where the main
rub is, and that is why veteran en-
ployee, men holding fine passenger runs,
voted ~ solidly to strike as did the
new corners on the roads. There never
was more determined lot Of men to
cast strike ballot, and such lot will
w ." SSs91y UC0bcu dS the managers
pretend to think they will be.
The scheme Of the executives il to
make the employees the goats for their
Encouragement and inefficieney, and
for the frenzied railroad financeerine
OF other days, the kind Morgan once
admitted was wrong, but declared az.
was too late to unscramble tho eggs. ,,
The people have been, busy ever since
paying tribute to railroad gambling.
Then there is the needles, extrava.
eanf< and management cost that has
grown cut Of the system Of supporting
railroad supply houses, locomotive
works, car shops and such in which the
Officers Of the roads are directors
Their publicity bureau has never at.
tempted to explain away that system Of
RAILROAD graft which has been 80 fire..
quenttly attacked by investigation, tor
the Interstate Commerce commission.
There is the possibility that il .strike
Is called and nrnl0nnod - ,,,s1f <,,.-:,.