Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-16
WARNS LABOR
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health, comfort and lives of innocent
men, women and children
But this moral obligation does not
mean that organized labor on tie rail-
roads should be stamped out, the To-"
mer governor said. The problem in
this country, headed. is how to deal
with just demands fairly and humane
ly and how to curb unjust demands
and control such activities as threaten
public welfare"
The right of labor to organize is
based on sound principles recognizc1
by Congress and sanctioned by the
courts of the land" Mr.. Hooper said.
Il am profoundly awed whey l con-
template the possibilities for evil. Ii
organized labor is to be permitted to
throttle individuality, destroy initial
tive, exalt inefficiency, dominate man.
agcment, limit production, ignore the
rights of the public and set up a class
government, then, indeed, is this coun-
try headed for bolshevism and death.
"All of these things are the POSSIBLE,
but not the inevitable results Of or
ganized labor.
vi liC otiCl IL VI Sd'i'E'o "a
Dor confines it's efforts to the .legiti-
mate advancement of the cause of the
working man. by the procurement of
just and reasonable hire, thu estab-
lshment of desirable working rules
and conditions. the maintenance of all
increasingly good standard of living
and the preservation of the political
and civil rights of labor. then will or
ganized labor not only serve its own
interests. but it will constitute one o.
the bulwarks of the American republic.
I'm my judgment, the survival of
this republic depends upon the wisdom
with which this question is handled"
Mr. Hooper asserted that if the rail-
road brotherhoods had been crushed in
strike, other organizations would
have sprung up in their stead and
probably would not have been animat-
cd by motives half so conservative
and patriotic as those which control
the brotherhoods.
Public opinion. Mr.. Hooper said. had
docrccd that as matter of self-pres-
ervation the railroads should be
closely regulated and would never sub
ject itself to the risk of having gov
eminent dominated by either the car
ricrs or their employees.
1t is this rcgulative function, the
commissioner explained. tina. this
new entangled tribunal. the Railroad
Labor Beard" is trying to help fulfitt.
only one thing had given the board
soothing feeling of satisfaction, he
ar.
manifested by the carriers and their
employees in 'cussin the board" This
was accepted as conclusive evidence.
he added, of the board, fairness ana
impartiality.
"A few sophisticated and hard boiled
individuals never could believe that I
did not promise the brotherhood Off
GERS, when addressing them. TO take
something away from the carriers and
give it to them. yet this was literally
true. The memorandum adopted by
the board. which finally averted the
strike. merely called attention to the
fact that it was premature 30 start
row about another reduction in
wages because the hoard did not pro-
pose to readjust the wages of any
class of labor until the rules and
working conditions of that particular
class had been passed on
The fixing of railroad wages. Mr.
Hooper said. should recognize a living
wage that means something more than
bare existence and also that there
is a limit to the ability of carrier to
pay-"that there is no miraculous
fountain of inexhaustible gold flowing
into the Golfers of railroad