The Topeka state journal., 1922-06-29
IF THE STRIKE coME.~

been taking a strike vote decide to
walk out July l there can be little
doubt that such action will be for the
purpose of again forcing the roads un-
der government operation. That is
all for which they can reasonably
hope. The roads already are in the
hands of the government in the sense
that they are in no way parties to the
existing wage controversy. The issue
is between the workers and the fed
eral labor board, an institution set up
by congress.
In an effort to substitute lawful
procedure for the force and violence
of a strike or a lockout, and in an en-
deavor to protect the interests of all
the people from the conflicting inter-
ests of employers and employees, con-
gress passed the law which provided
for the adjudication OF railroad dis
putes. That the law is not perfect or
it's administration perfect is quite like
ly, but it is the best that has ever been
accomplished for the general welfare
1t substitutes legal decisions based
upon evidence in the place of agree
ments forced by arbitrary power on
the one hand or exacted under the
threat of distress and devastation on
the other.
The November election possibly wiz
bring into congress a number of men
willing to serve the ends of the rail-
road employees now threatening to
strike. This is indicated by the result
of the primaries in some quarters.
The Railway Age calls attention to the
fact that Mr.. Brookhart. nominated to
the senate by the Republicans of Iowa.
is a very radical advocate OF govern
ment ownership of railways
1t might seem that this form oe
mismanagement of our industrial af-
fairs had been eliminated by the ex-
perience of the war. But radical
theories are easy to advocate and al
way. attract a certain following.
Government operation of any indus
try invariably seems to increase the
number of men employed. This is
one reason why the argument appears
attractive to some persons. The rail-
ways had 1,7Os.74s men on their pay
roll when the government took over
the roads in December, 1917. 1t
operated them until the end of Febru-
airy, 1920, and the average number Of
men employed in the first three
months of 1920 was 1,95S,524-
When the railroads were taken
over by their owners, an effort to re-
duce the number of unnecessary en-
ployes was inaugurated and continue,4.
In the first three months of 1922 the |
average number of employees had been
reduced from 1,s93,524 in 1920. to
1.555.7S7. The payroIIs were CORE |
spondingiy reduced. The total pay
roll for the first three months of 1920 |
was s795.616.ssO. Notwithstanding |
that wages had been increased nearly I
p per cent, the payroll for the first |
three months of 1922 was reduced to I
616.406.474.
Thus it will be seen that the reduc-
the first quarter of 1920 is 4s7.7S7, |
and the reduction in the payroll over
179.OOO,OOO. or at the rate of about ]
s6O, 100000 a month. Heavy decline I
in traffic accounts for some of this
reduction, but experience makes GER
tain that no reductions in payroll ap-
preaching these would have been
made under government control; for
instance, in the early part of 1919, i
under government control. the traffic
declined. but the number OF employees
continued to increase.
This is almost always the case. un-
der government mana cement, where
there Is no incentive to cut down ex-
penses and employment. Both OF
these invariably increase. no matter
what the conditions.
The experience of the public with
government operation during the war
converted great majority of the peo-
pie 10 firm opposition TO government
ownership. But it may be that in the
next congress the matter will all be
threshed over again
But If the government Will keep its
hands off, the railroads probably will
find no difficulty in replacing strikers
from the ranks of former employees.
since discharged, who gained the nee
essary experience while working un-
der Mr.. McAdoo and Mr.. Hines.