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

government they were managed by the
same men that are now running them.
These men are no more competent to
operate the railroads now chan they
were before the war. No men could
operate them satisfactorily under the
present system. Its an impossibility,
and it will be so long as service, the
working condition of employees, reason
able rates and extensions are sacri-
feed to meet the demands for regular
dividends on capital stock, much Of
which was issued without respect to
railroad values.
The thigh" wages paid to railroad
employees is given by the railway ex.
ecutives as the chief cause of the high
cost of railroad operation and the nee
essity for requiring the exaction of ex-
brilliant carrying charges and the fire.
quent call upon the government for
financial assistance. And yet the
average pay for skilled labor in the
railroad service is less than that earned
by skilled labor in other employments.
This is equally true with relation to un-
skilled labor. The yearly incomes of
certain railroad workers may exceed
those Of similar workers in other occu-
pations, but that is due to the fact that
they work longer hours, and they earn
every dollar they are paid, and more.
Commerce and Finance, a Wall Street
publication, declares that the average
earnings Of freight engineers in 1920
was 1864. According to the SEIZED
ule then in force freight engi-
neer would be required to work the
equivalent of 500 days of eight hours
each to earn such an amount of money.
If he worked but the same time as
engineers in other employments, a
straight eight-hour day for 300 days a
year, his income would not have ex-
ceeded $3.50 without taking out the
cost Of room and meals away from
home, which easily runs to $500
year.
What is true Of the freight engineer
is true Of every other class of work
men in the train service. The hourly
wage paid to them has at no time been
excessive. Indeed it is far below the
value of the service they render, and
would be so held if the people under
stood the situation better than thew do.
The publicity bureau of the railroads
have taken mighty good care to with
hold from the public the true situation
with relation to the wage question.
They know Of the peoples lack of
knowledge as to railroad labor condi-
tions, and knowing it they lead. the
public to believe that labor's protest
against injustice is but species of
"labor tyranny.'
OF what avail is a.. protest from la
Dor against wrong if it. possesses not
the power to give effect to that pro-
test? 1t is advocated by many, and
some Of them well-meaning, that Con-
gress enact law making railroad
strikes unlawful. They would handcuff
the railroad workers of the country and
place their interests and their destiny
IN the power of a commission appointed
by the president.
Such step would not only be unwar-
ranted but it would be unAmer;can
1t would be return to involuntary
servitude. It would take from the rail-
road workers the right to quit work, a
right denied to none in America since
the abolition of chattel slavery.
1t we are to prevent railroad strikes
there is but. one way to do it success
tully and with guarantee of exact
justice to labor, and that way is for
the government to take oyer the roads
and operate them under democratic
control, which would mean that the
employees, through elected representa-
tlves, are to be given voice in their
management.
The rights of the public and its inter-
est can be conserved and protected in
no other manner. The railroads under
private ownership and management
nave and ever will. play :. shurtlc.co
game with labor and the public: To
them financial gain is tie first con-
slderatlon. Service and fair treatment
to labor is their last.