Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-18
RAILWAY STRIKE PROSPECTS,.

been ordered and the date thereof set, and unless
something occurs in the meantime to interfere with
the program the strike will occur on the date fixed,
October 30th.
The prospect of such a strike cannot be viewed
without anxiety. At the outset of winter
in the transportation facilities of the. country is an
exceedingly serious thing to the entire population.
Stores of food and stores of fuel are to be moved, and
in many cases even a slight delay works tremendous
hardship on a very large proportion of the popula-
ton. The tying up of the country's transportation
at this time would be a calamity, the extent Of which
cannot be even estimated, and such a calamity must
be prevented at all hazards.
The country is just now in unsatisfactory bust
ness condition due to the reactions of the war.
Everywhere men are putting forth the greatest pos
slble effort to restore something like normal condi-
tons. Some measure of success in this direction is
noted, but an immense work is yet to be performed.
This would be interrupted, set back BY months, by
the precipitation of a great railway strike at this
time, and under no circumstances is such a thing to
be considered. What steps may be takeH to avoid
the strike are for those charged with responsibility
Tor such work to plan and put into execution. Back
of the employees, back of the railway managers, back
of shippers and all others having a personal interest
in the matter stands the United States government.
No matter what interests may be affected, the gov
eminent of this country cannot and must not permit
the movement OF persons and property by rail to
cease because Of the failure of groups and individuals
to agree on the wages, conditions of labor, and other
elements in the situation now in controversy. Trains
must move, and the government must see that the
means are provided for moving them. This fact lies
at the base of the whole situation.
There are some facts in connection with the ex-
lsting conditions which furnish at least a basis for
hope that the strike may not actually go into effect,
or if it does that it will not be on the mammouth
scale proposed. President Leigh Of the trainmen's
organization among others has urged strongly
against a strike and has set forth temporarily and
logically why a strike at this time is unwarranted
and would be hopeless. The votes of the members
OF his organization were very largely in favor of the
strike, but too much emphasis ought not to be placed
placed on them by those who are familiar with the
method usually employed in such cases in polling
the membership. Many Of the voters do not repre-
sent the actual convictions or desires of the voters,
but are cast because of other reasons which are quite
we'll understood.
1t is difficult to imagine how a less opportune
time for a strike could have been chosen. No great
strike has ever been won and no great strike will be
won unless it has back of it the support of public
opinion, and public opinion today is emphatically
not in favor of this strike. The whole country is
going through a process of deflation. Incomes have
been reduced and are being reduced everywhere. The
income of the farmer has shrunk TO the vanishing
point and in many cases beyond it. The merchants
profits have gone glimmering. The manufacturers
plant stands idle or running on a faction of full time.
Wages of labor nevery: department of industry have
been materially reduced, and the process of reduc-
ton is still going on. Several million men arc out Of
employment and would be glad to obtain employ
1nent at much less than what may now be considered
going wages Under these circumstances a strike by
a body of men handling the transportation of the
country which has for its purpose resistance to wage
reductions which in the light Of all the facts are ex-
c%eedingly moderate, does not strike a popular cord
and If the steps now being taken are pushed to their
conclusion and the strike is actually put into effect
to the disaster of the entire country, those who are
responsible for that condition can certainly look for
nothing In the nature of popular support
So far as the public is concerned the question of
railway rates is closely associated with the question
of railway wages. Neither the railway managers nor
their employees can stem the tide which is set toward
a general reduction of cost to the public. Railway
owners arc entitled to reasonable compensation for
the use of their property in addition to incomes
which will meet ordinary operating expenses, but
the railroads cannot be placed in a class by them
selves nor can they justly be exempted from the
losses which all other business concerns have been
obliged to sustain. Other business concerns have
been required to write off their losses by the thou
sands Of millions of dollars, and the railway owners
must a%ccuston1 themselves to the thought of doing
likewise. If the value of their securities shrinks on
their hands they will be suffering nothing that the
owners of property of all other kinds have been
obliged to suffer during the past year OF two.
Whatever the method of approach may be,
neither the interest of the railway owner in the in
come to be derived from his properly, nor the inter
esIof the railway employee in the wage which he is
to receive can be permitted to stand in the way Of
reasonable service at reasonable rates to the hun
dreds Of millions of people who constitute the popu-
lation of this country.
THE RESERVE BANK AND CREDITS.
A statement just made by John H. Rich, federal
reserve agent of the ninth district sets forth very
clearly a number of facts which ought to have been
understood, but which seemingly have been over
looked by a great many who have commented on the
credit situation in the country and especially in the
northwest. The facts set forth BY Nj. Rich are not
at all new because they enter into the very founda-
tons Of the federal reserve system. )
The federal reserve bank, as Mr.. Rich points
out, does not do business with individuals. It's
business is solely with banks, and it is permitted by
law 70 make loans only TO its own members. Il is