Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-12-16


? Speaking at the annual dinner of
the New York Railroad club, at which
six other members Of the labor board
were also guests, Mr.. Hooper said the
price of rail strike last fall would
have staggered the nation" Rail-
road labor, he said, has no right,
morally at least, to tie up the rail-
roads and destroy the property. busi-
ness, health, comfort and lives of in
nocent men, women and children"
Must Deal Fairly
But this obligation does not mean
that organized labor on the railroads
should be stamped out, as certain Sec
ton of public opinion advocated in the
. October crisis.
added. is how to deal with just de-
mands fairly and humanely and how
to curb public welfare"
THE right of labor to organize is
based on sound principles recognized
by congress and sanctioned by the
courts Of the land" Mr.. Hooper said.
II am profoundly awed when ] con-
template the possibilities for evil. If
organized labor is to be permitted to
throttle individuality, destroy inititive.
exalt inefficiency, dominate manage
ment, limit production. ignore the
rights of the public and set up class
government, then, indeed is this coun-
try headed for bolshevism and death.
"AlI of these things are the possible,
but not the inevitable results of or
ganized labor.
Can Do Much Good
"On the other hand, If organized la
Dor confined its efforts to the legiti-
mate Advancement of the cause of the
workingman, by the procurement of
just and reasonable wage, the estab-
ishment of desirable working rules and
conditions, the maintenance of an in
creasingly good standard of living. and
the preservation of the political and
civil rights of labor, then will organized
labor not only serve its own interests,
but it will constitute one of the bull
warks of the American public.
In my judgment, the survival OF
this republic depends upon the wis
dom with which this question is
handled"
Mr. Hooper asserted that if the rail-
road brotherhoods had been crushed in
strike, other organizations would
have sprung up in their stead. and
probably would not have been ami
mated by motives half so conservative
the brotherhoods."
Reviews RalI Situation
Reviewing the entire railroad situa-
tion, he said it would be blind waste
of energy" to attempt return OF rail-
road conditions Of generation ago.
Then there was no need of restrictive
legislation, but today social and eco
nomic conditions make the railroad
of the age" The railroad executive of
today must have business brains and
energy. must continually deal with gov
ernmental agencies, and handle socio-
logical and economic questions of in
creasing difficulty and Importance.
Public opinion, Mr.. Hoover said, had
decreed that, as matter Of self
preservation, the railroads should be
closely regulated, and would never sub
iect itself to the risk of having gov
ernment dominated by either the car
riers or their employees.
Board Trying to Help
Tt is this regulative function. the
commissioner explained, that this
new-fangled tribunal, the railroad labor
board" is trying to help fulfill. He
told of the difficulties met by the
board in starting its work and the
problems it was called upon to solve.
Only one thing had given the board a
soothing feeling of f-satisfaction, he
said. and that was 'the fine teamwork
by the carriers and their
employees in 'cussing' the board This
was accepted as conclusive evidence,
he added, "of the boards fairness and
The fixing of railroad wages. Mr..
Hooper said, should recognize living
wage that means something more than
a bare existence and also that there is
a limit to the ability Of carrier to
pay-"that there is no miraculous
fountain OF inexhaustible gold flowing
into the Golfers OF railroad"
Need Mere Cooperation
Railroad industry has avoided any
great disaster in emerging from the
war and "magnified spirit Of CO.
operation" between employ and en-
pioyer would effect complete re-
habilitation Of the ccuntry's trans
portation system, tho vice chairman
concluded. In attaining this rehabil-
itation, Mr.. Hooper plsdEsd the efforts
OF the labor board 90 IN instrument
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