, 1921-10-27

the roads are offering Jobs to men
who will take the places of strikers.
The managers believe the loyal en-
ployees and pensioners who will help
them out In the crisis will be numer-
GUS.
Actually, the strike threat is direct
ed, not against the railways, put
against the railway labor board and
Its rulings, II his fact has aroused
the administrator to. the determina-
ton that the orders of the board
shall not be fiouted by either the EN-
ployees or the roads. The trouble is
that the Cummins-Esch act does not
provide penalties or give the board
powers to enforce its own findings.
This defect anne prominently to the
fore last week when the board, In ad-
dition to Its other work In Chicago,
called the Pennsylvania railroad onto
the carpet for failing to call a new
election of shop crafts representa-
tives, as instructed.
Strike or no strike, 1t appears that
one certain result of the affair will
be the reduction of freight rates. This
will be highly gratifying to the Amer
lean people, who are convinced II Is
necessary to the revival of business
prosperity, and are not at all sure
that the unions are wrong when they
assert that the railroads are making
plenty Of money. despite their walls.
II h American business man felt
that he could not go ahead until the
war with Germany, Austria I'M Hun
gary was formally declared at an end,
he need hold back no longer. Last
Tuesday the senat ratified the peace
treaties with the central powers. and
only the exchange of Publications re-
NAMED to be done-a mere formal
ity. The vote In the senate was 90
to 20. Fourteen Democrats lined up
with the Republican majority, and
only two Republicans-Borah and La
Follette-voted in opposition with the
Is other Democrats. Two reserva-
lions, recommended by the foreign re-
lations committee, were attached.
One reserves to congress the power to
control American participation in the
iNPuihtAone toiiiuicolOu unutI IHt
treaty of Versailles; the other is de-
signed to prevent Germany from es-
Gaping payment Of claims for loss of
life and property based on the destruc-
ton of the Lusitania. The Democrats
offered a lot of amendments and res
~eryntions, but they we're all voted
down.
Senator Johnson of California voted
for ratification, but first he told his
colleagues how fearful he was that
the Views of Secretary of State
Hughes will get the country into trou-
bic later. The hope, he said, is with
the Presidents restraining hand.
Surplus supplies and materials held
by the shipping board have suffered
an inventory loss OF SoO,OOO,OOO. ac-
cording to a report Of a commission
which has been making a survey OF
the boards physical assets. Also. the
shipyard equipment. land, buildings
and d~rydocks, which cost S117. 600. 600,
are now worth 500. 437 900; and I'M
completed wooden hulls that cost $685.
475,0O0. are valued now at only $780,
900. Sir Ernest Raeburn, who has
come across to settle Great Britain's
debt OF S21 100000 to the shipping
board, has revealed the existence of
secret contracts made by the old board
or shipping-control committee which
win largely reduce the sum due.
Earlier In the week. Il. s. Gregg.
chief OF the transportation division
OF the bureau Of foreign and domes-
tic commerce. made public figures
showing that the American merchant
marine is falling to hold Its own In
competition with the shipping inter-
ests OF other nations.
Quite characteristic OF the ldiotIc
methods adopted by the Reds. abroad
as well rs In America. was the at.
tempt on the life Of Myron r. Her
rick. nj ambassador to France. A
bomb was mailed TO him. and on be-
ing opened by his valet. II exploded,
lnjurlng he valet and wrecklng the
room. The foolish thing is that this
was done by Communists who are pro-
testing against the execution OF two
Italian radicals convicted OF murder
In Braintree, Mass. Mr.. Herrick and
the American ambassadors to London
and Rome have all received letters
threatening them with death unless
the Italians are set free. and In Brus,
sells the Communists held a demon.
~stratlon under the windows OF the
American embassy. incidentally, the