The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-10-29
THE RIGHTS OF THE PUBLIC.

We are hearing a lot these days
about the "pubic Interest," and the
"rights Of the public "The dear pub
lie is the real party in this controversy
between capital and labor on the rail
roads, say the apologize newspapers
for the railroads, while they are ad-
monishing the railroad labor unions to
be careful lest they be driven from the
earth.
Teh railroads are working overtime
playing the public harp string. That
is where. their hope lies. If they can
keep the public blinded against the
real issue in the controversy by appeal
ing to popular passions and prejudices
they figure they will have won the
strike before it is begun.
To prevent the public from suffering
it is expected that labor shall submit
to railroad tyranny, surrender every
thing that has been gained in the past
80 years and lay down like lot of
smelts. With the public holding the
lever on one hand and the railway ex-
ecutives holding the driving power on
the other, labor stands fine chance
indeed of getting square deal.
1t is all very we'll to respect the
"rights of the public,' for we are
part of the American people who will
be called upon to suffer in the event Of
railroad tie-up, but it is quite another
thing to remind the public that with
"rights 60 duties.' What has the pub
lie done to curb the greed and avarice
of the railroad managers and financiers9
Everything they say has been taken for
granted. Their controlled press has
failed to tell all the truth. Much has
been withheld. Only the fact that the
roads are hard up has been given wide
spread publicity. The "why of it,
has never been aired.
Little is heard these days of the
frenZied finance Of other times when
the transcontinental roads and other
large. system were e-organized' by
the Morgans, Harrimans and Goulds
to the tune of so per cent railroad and
so per cent water, all Of which the dear
public has paid for hundred times
over.
The words of the Scriptures are COM
ing to pass: "The sins of the fathers
will be visited upon the children even
unto the third and fourth generations
That may not be literally correct, but
the thought is there. We are paying the
penalty for the unlawful practices of
other days. Labor and the public are
expected to hold the sack for railroad
gambling, extravagances and misman-
agement,. and they are holding it. The
papers would have them continue to
hold. it.
Then again, has any mention been
made Of late Of the dilapidated and
bankrupt condition Of the railroads at
the outbreak of the war when thew
threw up their hands and begged the
government to take them over? The
industries of the country arose to the
situation. magnificently. Only the rail-
roads fell down. They had been sacri-
feed to, financial plunderers and were
MIXED dry when they were needed at
their: peak during the war. Rolling
stock and other equipment were hay
wired, due to long neglect. Roadbeds
and rails were in bad shape. Shops and
machinery were at a low ebb, and the
ordinary wear and tear had been sac
rlflced to pay dividends ,on stock, much
OF which was heavily soaked in water.
That was the condition Of the roads
when the government took them over,
Millions were forthwith taken from the
public treasury to rehabihtate them.
Thousands Of additional men were put
to work to ballast tracks, repair loco
motives and cars, and to place the gen.
eral railroad house in order. Old off,
Gals were retained. While noncom-
batants everywhere put their country
above all else, the railroad officials had
an eye single to looting the government
while the looting was good. And lust
before the roads were turned back thew
purchased supplies, material and equip
ment running into millions at the peo-
pie IS expense. Depots, warehouses and
other buildings were remodeled, painted
and made to look like new. Long lines
of rails were strung along the tracks as
if they were to replace old rails, only
to ;be taken up later and used else
where after the roads had been re-
turned to the private owners.
All this was charged up to public
operation and control. "Its your pub
lie ownership: these errand boys of
Big Business would say when criti-
cisln was made Of railroad extrava-
gahce. And during the whole time that
the railroads were in the hands Of the