Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-08-03
NOTES AND COMMENTS.


prices and laborers and workmen of
every class should agree TO take rca.
sonable wages. There's hardly a town
or city in the United States which is
not short of homes for the people. and
IN the larger communities busincS 4.
houses are needed quite as badly. A.
II is, unless there is the direst nc
cessity or there's some exceptional
reason for building. few persons arc
willing TO undertake the erection OF
new homes. There's billions of money
ying in banks or invested in govern,
ment bonds that would be invested
In buildings II materials and labor
were normal, but as IL is capitalists
refuse to place their money where il
VIII bring such small return, and per4
sons OF moderate means who wanr
MONIES Tor themselves simply cannot
aHord TO pay the price. Prohteerinr
and strikes and unreaSonableness gem
orally are wocfully retarding husincss
IN this country and dcprivns thous-
ands and thousands of people of the
comforts of life.
inc men who were called out on
strike at Shenandoah Junction last
week-a half dozen or more Of them
have returned TO work. They didn't
want to 20 out in the first place, being
satisfied with their wages and work
ing conditions, but when some union
mogul in indianapolis or some other
far-oH point ordered them TO quit
work, they did so, against their better
Judgment. They sat around in idle
ness, for no good reason, and las, Fri
day they talked the matter over amone
themselves and decided TO 90 back on
the job. They are glad they did so
at the psychological moment, for tho
railroad company had arranged 20 have
new men take their places the nexa
day.
The attitude of one class of union
men was illustrated at a nearby town
the other day, when striker walked
up to man employed at the railroad
station and hailed him thus: "Say, do
YOU know you have taken my job from,
me :" NO" said the other; "is this
your Job ?" "Yes," replied the strik-
er. "All right said the worker; 81
don't want to take any mans living
from him. You can have your place
right now. I'll quit" But don't
want it," said the man; I'm on strike. y
well, IL you don't want IL, get tn
Il out OF here" answered the
other; land il you fool around me ri
knock your block off. | won't let any
dog in the manger growl at me-" Thd
striker walked off, scratching his head
in perplexity.
II seems hardly likely that the Ches
apeake & Ohio Canal will ever again
amount to much as waterway Its
business has been declining steadily
from year to year. Last season il
was used only for a short time, and
so far this year not boat has moved
upon II. The suggestion has been
made that the State of Maryland ac-
quire 1t and convert il into an auto
mobile highway from Cumberland "a
Washington. II could he made such
a road as might not, perhaps, be dupli-
Gated in this country, for il would be
on level the entire distance with moi
one hill to climb or descend There il
now, as is we'll known, splendid road
across the State, but II crosses noun
tain after mountain and goes I'D and
down many long hill. There ara
two ranges Of the Blue Ridge to ba
surmounted, while between Hagers;
town and Cumberland seven or eight
ranges of the Allcghenies or their
outlying foothills stand as obstruc,
lions TO satisfactory travel. The ca
nal bed or towpath would be even moro
picturesque, following the lovely Poy
tomac the entire distance, and a good
road along so beautiful a route would
attract tourists from all over tha
world, to say nothing Of its advantages
as a route for swiftly hauling good1
by trucks.
Another and more utilitarian idea Is
to use the canal as a source of water
power. There are locks with a fall
ten feet every few miles, and by re-
arranging these or combining then,
at those points where they are close
, together a tremendous water power
: could be developed-enough 10 furnish
electric light and power for every town
and village along the line, and farms
toe. who knows what industries might
b be established along the canal bv the
inducement OF cheap and reliable
, power?
I. is said that George Washington
J first promulgated The idea OF this ca.
! ma which he believed could BE made
} to connect tidewater Potomac al
Georgetown with the waters Of the
Ohio river To him il was but a
: dream, for he did not live to see the
thing accomplished. But even he. fol
all his vision, could not imagine ii as
! a highway for automobiles or a source
OF electricity that should light all The
: country Of the Potomac Valley be.
tween the mountains and the sea.