The Mena weekly star., 1921-10-06
DECLARES LABOR AT OWN THROAT'
Senator Nelson Says Unions Bar Way to Business Reyiyal-"Bring Rail Strike to Showdown" He
 --Urges--Wages High. ..

Washington, Oct. 2.-Blame for in- ductrial depression and unemployment was laid at the door of organized labor by Senator Knute Nelson of Minne- sota, Republican, in a bitter attack in the Senate yesterday upon the trade unions.
 Senator Nelson charged that labor's refusal to accept reduced wages was the chief obstacle to an industrial and business revival. He shouted defiance at the railroad brotherhoods and ex- pressed the opinion that it might be we'll for them to carry out their strike threats in order that the railroad con- troversy might be brought to a show down and definitely settled.
 The Minnesota senator warmly praised the recent decision of Judge Landis reducing wages in the building trades in Chicago. He criticized the unions for opposing the reduction.
 likeness by Own Act.
 "When Judge Landis made reason- able reduction for the building trades in Chicago---it was moderate and reas- onable-they protested and threatened to strike" said Senator Nelson. "Un- der such conditions if they find them selves in idleness they are themselves to blame"
 Senator Nelson's attack aroused the ire of Senator Hefin of Alabama, Democrat. He placed responsibility for present conditions upon Wall street." and warmly assailed the Re- publican administration for taking no action to prevent the payment of large salaries by the New York Federal Re- serve bank. The salaries paid to thirty officials in the New York bank, he asserted would equal the salaries of half the United States Senate and that Of the president. Senator Smoot of Utah, Republican, stated that he had complained to the Federal Re- serve board of the salaries paid by the bank, but that he regarded the mat ter as outside the power of Congress.
 Senator Nelson's speech was deliv- cred in the course of debate on the tax bill.
 Labor Retards Business Revival.
 My opinion is there is nothing that so retards industrial revival in this country today as the attitude of orr ganized labor in refusing to come down to reasonable wages and reason able basis of employment said Sena- tor Nelson. "All over the United States we are suffering because of that situation.
 s'ln the case of railroad transporty- tion, the railroads are unable to reduce rates because of the high cost of op- eration resulting from excessive wages which their operatives demand on the same scale that they were accustomed to receive during the war, during the administration of Mr. MeAdoo as di- rector-general
 q was told by the junior aenrtar from New York, Mr. Calder, that bricklayers in New York City were asking $T4 day for eight hours work. We all know that the .nicn does not allow men to do the maximum amount of work, but the men are allowed to lay only 80 many brick.
 Wage Scale too High---Negson.
 "There would not be many idle men in this country today if union labor would come down to reasonable fig- ure in conformity with what is oc- curing in other lines of business, and until we reach lower level of prices in connection with union labor, until we bGt HhVfN tutCtAFt oNAftNtf At An hopeless to expect complete and fair revival of the industries and of this country.
 We are now threatened with rail- road strike. They have taken the vote, and they are posing as ready to take the whole country by the throat again, as they were at the time the Adamson law prevailed. I am getting tired of these strike threats. I do not know but that it would be good thing for the country if these railroad men do start a strike. Let the country under stand once and for all what these men mean by their striking. Let the people realize that they will be deprived of their food supply, their fuel and ev- erything else. If the employees ever embark on such results, venture the prediction that American citizens will arise in their might and wipe them from the face of the earth"
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