The New York herald., 1922-10-22

juncture to justify their stand by subtle
| intimation to workers that further wage
reductions We're contemplated by the
Railroad Labor Board. But funda-
mentally the revolt was against the IL
per cent. wage reduction.
Neither punic cunning nor the vocif
erous canting Of those who had deter
mined to crush any conciiatory spirit
that might exist among the army OF
wage earners thus arbitrarily ordered
into idleness could disguise the facts
behind this revolt against government.
4 Not a year back this same gov
| ernmental board whose ruling now was
branded as an infamous injustice to
American workmen, had, in its decision
No. 2, directed a substantial increase in
the wages of rail employees. The carriers
submitted. though they complained that
4 labor costs had increased lis per cent
4 in comparison with 81 per cent. in-
/. crease in revenues made possible through
! higher rates granted by the Interstate
d Commerce Commission.
From q period Of distressing tnfia-
1 tion and soaring prices the country had
4 passed into a period OF severe iiquida-
tion. and the Labor Board, in effect.
through its ruling No. 1,036. OF, June 8.
this year, had decreed that in view of re-
duced wages in other industries railway
wages must of necessity be made to ap-
proximate them, if readjustment of our
economic and Industrial life was to be
accomplished.
I. Suffering ano Loss.
i But the die was cast and labor's
legions marched in solid phalanx from
beneath the protecting bulwarks of Con-
stitutional law at the command OF their
leaders.
Industrial paralysis, human suffering
and irretrievable losses confronted the
nation as train after train was laid off,
\ Cessation of traffic was destroying the
4 arteries of trade and commerce. Gov
1 ernment industry, society and labor
itself realized that the helpless millions
| jammed into the great centers of popu-
\ lation were dependent upon transporta-
\ tion for food--for life itself But the
/ upheaval went on. Sporadically tales
came out of the West. the Southwest and
the South and from our northern border
States Of derailments, manning, sabot-
age and even murder
"Just a year back more than 100000
men and women were walking the streets
of our cities, jobless. hungry and de-
.spondent but now they were at work,
Through the sound operation OF con-
structive government. The coal strike,
(which had spread over five months was
miners and their families were about to
return to work, contented. But anew,
| there blazed upon the horizon of pros
! porous government and happy people
| A crisis which stunned the nation,
| crisis which threatened not only eco
nomic and Industrial depression, not
only a recurrence of idleness among our
wagearners. but the country's transpor-
tation system. upon which all elements
L. e. 1A~1x
nfent and those things which must hold
| together the human fabric.
| 4 The Threat.
tout of Philadelphia came the man
date of one of the heads Of the siop
crafts in that district and which ap-
| peared to reflect the attitude OF other
| leaders, that, we will tie up every
II ain, both freight and passenger: every
ferry boat and every railway shop, and
not wheel will turn anywhere
Government was being Knocked and
| pilloried in scorn. Appeals were being
made to Washington by countless thou
sands of American citizens. Scarcely
lcommunity in any part of this broad. free
land was being spared the iron heel of
terr6rism Depreciation of property was
In ft,ll swing. and human life was any
thing hut sacred All the great trans
continental systems were jeopardized.
| and the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion, after infinitely painstaking surveys
| had found that the rolling stock and
equipment of the afflicted roads were
so seriously impaired that so per cert.
| of the locomotives in use were unfit for
| service and many were out Of commls-
sion entirely.
"The nation was in the grip of civil
war. We. had reached a point where
loyal, Intelligent Americans wondered
If organized government actually existoi
In this free land of ours--or land
presumed to be free and consecrated TO
observance of law. Criminals of tie
vilest types. apostles Of the ultra-reI
variety and crafty power lusting
missionaries Of discord. mingled in he
attack unon life, property. law and
government.
| Severe Action Needed.
'Then, when all conciliatory efforts
on the part of trusted Government ennis
saries had tailed. wh~n court proceed
ings in practically every district In the
United States had been instituted by
the railroads 90 safeguard their prop
erty and prevent wilful and malicious
interference With the orderly operation
of their liness when men were willing
and anxious To work If permitted to do
so, when the heads of the strikers had
called upon the men who had deserted
their tools and shops at their dlctation
to do their danndest and then some'
when human suffering and hardships
were beginning to ,eavc their i'm
press upon the -nnocsnt and helpless
public when transportation was i'm
paired so per cSnt or more, and the
country was stung to a fury, the time
had arrived when national security no
longer made II possible for Government
to stay its hand. n decisive and firm
step was essential 70 the preservation
of American institutions, its people and
the basic principles VI government It
self.
moral suasion up 70 this point had
fallen upon deaf ears. Finally both
railroad executives eni shop Graf.
heads appealed to President Harding
to use his good offices in an effort to
adiudicate the differences between the
two elements. In the most patient and
painstaking way the Prcsidnnts great
genius as human harmonizsr was put
FORTH but by the latter par, of Au-
gust his efforts had failed to receive the
consideration to which they so rfshtfully
were entitled. The President appealed
to the striking workers, without deny
ing their right to strike. though 1may
say on my own behalf considering the
fact they had submitted their dislute
to the railroad labor board. they had no
| moral right to at least repudiate tint