Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-05-29
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
ON TOPICS OF THE DAY
Mr. Wnrc Takes Up CudgcIs in De-
tense Of Labor on the
EuilrpnGS

'NlI' --sN.t VI Ifl -. woods seems TO
nave such an intimate" knowledge Of
tn" railroad situation that would
likc To ask him f"w questions In
l'l". und"r government: control, Tho
operating expenses OF tho railroads
w"r" 5000 OGo In 1920. under
priva," contro'. tho operating cx-
penecs yer" $3.50. 0Oc 600 an increase
OF Sl39i 100000 Tho railroads say
they paid the workers $3.50. Onn. 900
more than was pnti under govern.
m"ni control Granting that these
hSureS given out ny tho railroads
themselves ARC true, what became OF
INC remaining S8li.0OG 900 Of tina, IN
crease IN tho operating expenses
ROW much was II necessary To in
creas" rates 10 cover II? Hv wha,
twist Of tho Imagination can he
ch.rr" this sum OF almost $1,000. 900
GOO to increases in wages OF the rnn-
road workers Bv what process does
n" EXEMPT wheat and apnleS from
taxation. In increased freight rates
/" meet this $1,000. 6on0 900
Mr.. Woods asserts that raids on
IN" Treasury could not possibly raise
rates II tina, is so. he rs uudulv OK
SrciS"d over the back paw awarded
tn" railroad workers at loas. ~ FAR
as ihNin@ consumers through in
creased rates 10 concerned Tho INIT
cd states Railroaf Labor boards
war" decision was handed down on
July 20 1890, retroactive 10 May {!
l'%O The railroads were ;hcn up-
Grating under privatc control with
rovcrnmcut guarantee 10 pay an
enormous rental and make good any
d"hrit however crcat. tho railroads
might incur. Tn" railroads made
great hast" 10 distribute III" hack nav
before september !. 1920. when tn"
government guarantee Of GScd re-
turn expired ana the increased rates
h"cam" effective. and even tho back
pay distributed after that da:e was
not paid out Of revenues from in
creased rates, for II was charged TO
OPERATING expenses under government
guarantee paid out OF the pubic
Treasury just tho same as was the
| cost Of tn" outlaw strike and All the
other inorhinatc "xtravaganccs and
vast on the railroads while the pco =
pl" w"r" paying the bin.
Railroads have revcled in deficits
Il Was wpon tho "dchcit" that" the
roads were able to pile up under pri-
waite operation while raiding tho
Treasury 10 MAX" ny tn" deficit"
tina, they haeen their demands trr 6
nor cont returns on a valuation that
water" tho nnnipuiators could rro-
'iuc" and II is upon Tho deficit" now
that thoy base their demands for
wage reductions
Mr. Woods quotes some cxtrav-
arant figures regarding railroad
can poin, on, ,hJ individual recciv-
ing tho wages Nj. Woods specifies.
tho case IS rare indeed and where
any individual has worked ffty to
hfty-Hvc or moro DAYS in n month
to make such wages. there are thou
sands upon thousands who arc re-
cc!vinS an Inadequate wage. and
thousands upon thSisands more who
arc receiving only n few days wages
"a u a m
additional thousands who are rccciv-
ing no wages at all because they have
been thrown out OF employment.
! -ould like To suggest that Mr..
Railroad Labor Boards wage award
of July 90. 1920. and study it care
fully. He would learn that ae mat
ter OF fact the "princeiy wage in.
crcascs for railroad workers about
which there has been so much mis-
leading propaganda amount on an
average to little more than 81 a
week.
1t is difficult TO put charitable
construction on Mr. Woods psychoi-
orv Jfnfor,una,cly. We have in this
country great many wea kings anu
detectives. with physical hod!es ca :
| pablo of fetching and carrying OUT
with mental faculties 8" impaired as
| to render them incompetent TO pro-
| tcct themselves economically. DOCS
| Mr. Woods mean TO say that wages
| and working conditions should be
regulated universally by STANDARD
| that could he imposed with lmpunit!
upon these unfortunaics? Does nc
| advocate return to the twclVe-hour
| day for all workers and the enforc-
| inc OF ecmiscrfdom by process OF un-
| constitutional le9islat!onr
In passing, | would like TO say, IL
free school teachers anywhere are
paid only $50 u month for thcir ser
vices. tho community ought 10 be
ashamed to admit IT.
If the public could only read the
| evidence submitted to the United
states Railroad Labor BOARD by the
| representatives Of the employees in
| the hearing now in progress. the pub
| lie would learn that the railroads
arc wasting OR dividing In profit s
/ among themselves $1,000, oo0. 600 a
year. hut the public VIII not get to
4 read SO much. about il, AS IL viii not
he carried on the front page OF Tho
newspapers as prominently AS was
the testimony given by the railroad
| representatives. which Mr.. Woods owl
IDENTIFY has read and accepted as the
gospel truth IN it's entirety.
| Congress. II is reported. la going
Ito investigate tho railroad eituation.
H . Il ~