The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-22
Trains Must Run
Gov. Cooper Announces That
He Will Go to the Limit to
Protect Public

Columbia, oct. 11.-lTalnS VIII
be operated in South Carolina,
strike or no strike, provided vol
unteers can be procured to man
them, according to Gov. R. "A.
Cooper, who last night said that
if it We're considered necessary, a
special session Of the legislature
would be called in order to draw
up measures deemed eXpedient to
meet the emergency.
1t was as no foe Of organized Ia
Dor nor Of collective bargaining that
the chief executive of the state said
he spoke, but as an official who
realizes. in its fullness, the mean
ing of cessation of railway traf-
fic in this state at the present time.
The decline in the price Of farm
products raised in this state; the
increase in the price of products
raised in distant states and coun-
tres; the suffering and the misery
that would follow in the wake of a
complete tieup of railway traffic
were visualized by the governor
when he said Trains must not
stop"
IF this threatened railroad
strike becomes a reality" said the
governor, 'it will mean that the
prices of practically everything we
have to sell will decline, while the
prices of products which we have
to buy will increase.
"F'reight rates are now sky high,
and many agricultural products,
especially those raised in the west,
can not be sold because Of high
rates.
THE employees Of the railroads
ought to understand that the pub
lie is so vitally interested in the op-
Grafton of the railroads that, If
sufficient labor can be had, the
trains will be operated.
In case the strike becomes a
crafty. it would be the duty of the
state to use every means IN its
power to see that trains were oper-
ated.
visable to hold special session of
the legislature, / would not hesi-
tate to call it.
Neither would l hesitate to call
for volunteers 20 aid in running the
trains
Il express no opinion as to the
merits of the controversy between
the railroads and their employees,
but if the employees are receiving
a living wage. they will find great
difficulty i'll satisfying a suffering
public that a strike is justifiablc at
this particular time.
1T would be advisable to begin
to take a census of the men who
are not members of the union with
view to having the trains oper-
ated, for the trains must run.
The cotton farmer has suffered
very materially by reason Of the
decline in prices Of cotton as we'll
as by the unprecedented low pro-
duction, and no one ougth to eX-
pcct government, state or ma
tion,. to fail to take any measures
which would prevent a further loss
to those engaged in agriculture.
since agriculture IS the source Of
all our wealth.
Il would not have it understood
that | say that tho unions have no
legal right to go on strike, but they
have no moral right to call a strike
at d time when it would entail ir-
rcparable suffering.
The railroad managers and
employees should be willing to
have their controversy settled be-
fore the great court of public opin-
ion. That court functions in many
ways and while its DEGREES may be
delayed. it is inevitably the court
of last resort.
The success or failure of the
proposed strike will depend on
whether or not it is sustained by
the court Of public opinion