The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-08-06

nplaint against such service from tho
largely to the falling off of traffic.
Method in Their Purpose
This. sudden outburst from the
business mems organizations followed
the introduction in the city council
of resolution at the request of Mr..
Richards fixing the present street car
schedule as the standard until such
time as a committee to be appointed
by the council had an opportunity
to study the situation and present
a schedule that would be fair alike
to the travelling public and the COM
pany.
This is just what the officials and
attorneys of the Duluth Street Rail-
way company did not want. For the
first time in their public service ca
reers they encouraged citizen bodies
to protest against the quality of serv-
ice they were rendering. They then
expected to use such protests before
the railroad and warehouse commits
sion as a basis for their claim for an
emergency rate to apply until the the
commission could agree upon a per-
manent rate which will be based on
the earnings of the company and it's
true worth.
Council Is Reluctant.
The commissioners seemed re-
luctant. to accept the advice of the
city attorney. They were afraid
there was "dynamite," as Commits
sioner Farrell expressed it., in the
resolution recommended for passage
by Mr. Richards, although he plainly
stated that he considered its passage
vital to- hea ding off an order for an
emergency rate. The commissioners,
however, were slow to detect any
dynamite" in the resolutions of pro-
test passed by the Rotary and other
clubs, resolutions prompted by per-
sons mighty close to the traction
! company or its attorneys
Isn't it strange that these same
! clubs last winter urged that the Du-
| luth Street Railway company be
| given the right to increase its fare
from to cents? One or more, Of
them even went SO far as to endorse
the Brooks-Coleman bill, the passage
of which took the control of local
traction companies from the hands
of city councils and lodged it in the
state.
| against Public Interest.
In this instance when they had a.
chance to decide between the pub
lie interest and that of a private con-
Germ they played into the hands OF
the street railway company and re-
solved against the public interest.
Business mems clubs are taking unto
themselves public :, functions. They
pretend to express sort Of public
opinion, and they are the first to
/ criticize labor unions when they act
hastily and unfairly. They charge
that labor unions seldom consider
both sides of proposition. "
Such a charge can be successfully
made. against the Rotary and Com
mercial clubs and the Retail Mer-
chants association. They, did not call
upon Mr.. Richards to appear before
them and state his reasons for re-
questing of the city council the
/ passage of the STANDARD Of service
resolution he had presented. He is
their attorney as much as he is the
attorney for the city. He is serving
no interest save that of the public.
and his explanation would have sat-
isfied the average fair-ninded citi-
zen who is not tied up to any spe-
cial interest seeking favors from the
public. *
/ It's An Old Habit.
"A short time ago several of this
clubs, including the Rotary club,
listened with amazement at the
! charges made by Mr.. L.. c. Harris.
president of the Duluth Citizens al.
lance, against union labor, after
which they endorsed the so-called
"open shop" and incidentally, the
! present fight. that Is being waged
against labor. In that instance. as
in the street railway case, they heard
but one side. They invited no repre-
sentative of labor to give the labor
side of the issue. They declared
against labor without hearing as
they did against the city. -
And that is why resolutions passed
by the Commercial, Rotary and other
business mems clubs have little er-
feet on the general public. They
have lost their prestige with the peo-
pie, who are suspicious Of the source
Of their every act. No organization
OF men can expect TO hold public
confidence unless it is merited by
the scale OF ''the square deal ss
They Might Serve Well.
It is unfortunate for the city that
the members Of the business mems
clubs have permitted them to be thus
used. Rightfully directed they can
Erender fine public service. AS It ! ID
the average outsider Is suspicious Of
any and everything they S,lni niertake.
4 Their latest action in the street rail.