Evening star., 1921-10-17
Chances of Averting Strike.

Chances of Averting Strike.
That the chances Of averting a ma
tion-wide railway strike are not en-
tirely hopeless is indicated by develop
ments in the situation since the strike
order was issued on Saturday. Ap
parently there remains a measure Of
cool-headedness among the leaders OF
the railway unions. and there is some
reason to believe that the strike order
was more of gesture to bring Ger
tain issues to a head than the refiec
tion of a settled resolve to suspend
operations on the day designated.
To begin with. it is clear that the
chiefs of the unions are far from
agreed upon the wisdom Of a strike
at this time, and some of the other
organizations seem reluctant to follow
the lead of the big four" and the
sw1tchmen. Also there is not absent
indication Of suspicion and lack OF
confidence which would make it diff
organizations numbering 100000
members in line for fight to a finish
For the rail workers to enter upon q
strike in which they could not hope
for any considerable volume Of public
support and with dissenSion within
their own ranks would be a most rad
ical departure from the good sense
which has governed their conduct
in the past.
If the railway executives will adopt
the suggestion Of the public group OF
the Railroad Labor Board and translate
the IL per cent wage reduction order
ed for July l., and against the effect
ing of which the strike order is di,
rected, into an immediate reduction in
freight rates. they thereby will put
their own house in order and make
the position of the brotherhoods al
most wholly untenable. The fact that
this suggestion came originally from
one of the leading railway executives
of the country will weaken any argu.
ments the managers might make
against it, and refusal to adopt it
would leave the public in a state OF
mind to exclaim, "a plague on both
your houses"
The brotherhood chiefs might well
welcome reduction in freight rates
as a concession which would enable
them to rescind the strike order
without surrendering the principle OF
their contention. 1t is likely tina,
along with the freight rate reduction
they would ask assurances that in the
near future there would not be any
attempt at a further reduction In
wages, but it would seem that a sufh'
cient answer to this might be that
both sides could afford to wait until
It was seen what effect the lowered
freight rates would have on the cost
of living. Organized labor as a whole
is committed to the principle that
there may be a descent from the war
level of wages as the cost OF living
descends, and the great bulk OF
American sentiment is agreed that
labor should not be asked to accept
a lower wage except as living costs
are lowered.
1t is the duty today Of the govern
ment, of the press and Of every other
agency through which public senti
ment can be made articulate to bring
home to the railway executives and
the railway workers realization OF the
fact that this is not a private quarrel
which they have a right to fight out in
whatever manner they may elect. In
the process of Christening the rail
roads they now have been brought to
the point where they can neither in
crease rates nor reduce wages without
the consent Of the government, and
this restriction from the freedom
which private business enjoys neces'
sarily imposes restrictions on the EN-.
ployes of the railway corporations
Men who enter the railway service dc
so knowing that thereby they assume
an obligation to the public in addition
to the obligation to their employers
and if they are unwilling to meet this
obligation fairly and frankly their re
course Is to seek employment in lines
where their employer will have the
same liberty of action that they de-
nand for themselves.