Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-03-28
WHO BUILDS THE RAIL

herewith an editorial from the
Ielfair Enterprise which disclos-
es another angle of the attitude
of the general public toward the
strike. The Leader likes to get
hold of editorial expressions like
these which are based of fallacies
which have rather general hold
on the public mind. Unless we
can find concrete expression of
such fallacies, as embodied in
the editorial from the pen of our
esteemed contemporary, we can
not correct them. Following is
the editorial
Don't Enbarass Your Friends
The Fitzgerald Leader Enter
prise and Press, under date of
March 18th, had ali editorial
under the above caption. We
have been reading the editorials
of this paper with a great deal of
interest, especially those in re-
gard to the strike situation on
the A. B. & "A. railroad.
We are writing from The
standpoint of an ex-railroad man,
and former member OF a rail- Dad
union, having served ten years
one of the roads that helped to
make Fitzgerald what it is
today.
A very remarkable statement
from this editor is the following
In the Leaders opinion there
are only two sides to this ques-
tion-sympathy with the men or
neutrality is justified. There may
be a third side, that of sympa-
thy with the operators. We
haven't seen that yet. On that
side we can only see government
ownership"
We would like to ask. who
made it possible for the en-
ployees of the A. B. & A. rail
road to have a job and build
homes in Fitzgerald? Did the
employees build the road or did
someone else furnish the money
We believe in fair wage for
labor in any kind of service. but
we also believe that those who
put their money in an enterprise
OF any kind are also entitled to
at least earn enough to pay OPP
Grating expenses.
The employees of this railroad
are compelled to admit that their
wages were increased to meet
the high cost of living incident
to war conditions, but when they
are informed by the manage
ment that they will have to ac-
cept a lower wage scale, or the
road will have to be iunked,
they very emphatically refuse to
do anything of the kind.
We wonder what course the
Leader would pursue, if the op-
Grating expense of his paper
should get. higher than his gross
revenue; would he continue to
operate and get out his paper in
the usaul way.
We can see two sides to this
question very well. Every line
OF business has suffered, and why
should not railroad EMPLOYEES
share their part of the loss. Ii
the railroads are not to be al
lowed to earn expenses and in
terest charges, no more Of them
will be built, and those already
IN operation will not De kept uD
to the proper standard of eff
cheney.
The Leader stresses the fact
that high wages will help Fitz-
gerald, to which we all agree
but are the railroads responsible
for the financial condition Of the
country, and the present price OF
all farm products.
The only course open to rail
road managers is a decrease in
wages or another increase in
rates, which are already higher
than the traffic will bear now
We have no fight to make or
any railroad employee, some Of
our relatives are now engaged
IN railroad service, but we car
see very well that the demand:
OF union labor are out OF reason
at this time.
The Enterprises contention
seems to be based largely on TIL,
belief that the owners Of the AT
lanta, Birmingham and Atlanti,
railroad gave somebody some
thing when the road was pu
through this city and section
and that in gratitude for Thu
grit everybody along the lin,
Of the road should be Away
eager to see that these philan
thropists get a goodly return 70
their money.
incidentally, we would like t,
clear up the minor point whicl
involves the question ST the op
Grating expenses Of the Leade
should get higher than the gros
revenue, would we continue b