The Washington times., 1921-10-18
The Strike.

not D0en C6llS0 a8alnDt any afDltrory
decisions made by any Of the railroads.
for. a. q matter Of fact. the railroads
themselves no longer possess the
ditions, but are under the orders of the
United States Railroad Labor Board In
exactly the same way a. the railway
employees are.
Thus. II . strike be launched the
strikers will be fighting not merely
the railway manaeements. but the
United States Railroad Labor Board
and that boards creator, the United
States Government.
In this country strikes against the
government are rather foriorn hopes,
at least In peace times.
The American public are intensely
loyal to their government, and II the
railway mems leaders persist in carry.
Ing out their threat to fight the United
states Railroad Labor Board and the
United States Government. any appeal
from the government for public sup-
port In meeting the strike 10 certain
to enlist response from every commu.
nifty In the land.
That the American public will rally
behind their government in enforcing
decisions made by one Of its own ex.
tremely important tribunals, II q fore
gone CONCLUSION.
A Consideration.
Another consideration which 10
likely to weigh with the public u this:
Wares In most industries have already
been reduced, or will shortly be re.
duced. from the high peak reached
during the frenzied war boom in in.
dustry. In business, In prices. in cost
of living and in wages The leaders
Of the railroad workers have taken the
stand that, no matter what may hap.
pen to wages In other lines of activity,
the wages Of railway employees must
be main tanned at the wartime maxi.
mum.
II is against the ruling Of the gov
ernments board that a IL per cent
reduction be made that the railway
mems leaders have called strike to
lie up transporta ton all over the Iand.
II is not superhumanly difficult to
foresee what the attitude will be OF
most nonrailroad workers whose own
wages have already been cut and who
flRure that In the end the bin for the
railway mems wages must be paid
chiefly by the rank and file OF other
workers.
Against Uncle Sam.
In face Of all this, and taxing INTO
consideration, also. the vast motor
truck, automobile and shipping facili.
ties for handling freight, II Is not easy
to figure how those who have LED .heir
followers into voting for . strike can
hope to lick the government, especially
Al the strike leaders have specifically
declared that no United States Gov.
ernment mail train must be operated
Avrxn~ the afrfkA
Surely this direct challenge to the
government Is bad strategy.
90 much for what strikes one as q
fatal tactical biunder on the part OF
the mems leaders.
what about the prudence or impru.
dence OF the course followed by the
railway executives?
Cannot Blame Public.
The public cannot be blamed II
thew suspect that the railway execu'
tivss were anxious to bring ABOUT .
"shov- down" at this time. II not,
why. in the name Of common sense,
did they petition for another reduc.
zion In wages while the workers and
THAR leaders were still considering
vhetber they should call q strike
over the previous reduction surely
q vouId have been more prudent, IL
the maintenance OF peace had been
desired, not to fire this new bomb.
sheIl at the heads OF the men and
their leaders.
Another point which the workers
,..h.re sor,e Of them men OF very
rrest ability, are likely to bring for
ward very prominently when criti
c,ssd for not accepting the ruling OF
th. rs,,road labor board is that the
,srsest railroad in the country--the
psnnsylysnia-set an example In
this respect by refusing to comply
With orders issued by TINS same
r.,lrosd labor board. Seeing that
ths sreat, conservatively managed
syiyania railroad saw lit tc
challenee the authority Of the rail
road labor board the mems leaderf
aoub,,ess may have felt that they
uo,,,Sr,t be omen to csnsure II they
adopted similar tactics
There is an old Wall Street axiom
Don't sell stocks on strikes. MY
~ II A..