The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-09-08
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON, Sept. S.-The fed
cral government is in possession of posi-
tive information that the condition Of
equipment on the railroads of the coun-
try is much worse than the public imag-
ines and at the proper time will bring
forth the evidence as basis of action.
The injunction process begun by At
torney General Daugherty against the
strike leaders is in its infancy. He in
tends to proceed in due time against the
roads who may be violating the trans
portation act or the regulations of the
Interstate commerce commission with re-
spect to equipment.
As for the temporary injunction al
ready obtained by the attorney general.
it is significant that strong opposition
is coming from an entirely unexpected
qUartcr-namely. certain rail executives
known as 'irreconcilables. They and
others who sympathize with them are
CriticiZing the injunction on the ground
that it abridgeS free speech but their
real feeling is that the government has
interviewed at the wrong time and has
brought about situation which win
permit the strikers to bow TO the federal
government instead Of the railway exec
utivcS. 1t is true that there are de-
| fectS in the temporary Injunction and no
one Will be more eager to see them cor
reeted by the court next Monday than
the attorney general. but the interesting
phase Of the matter is the vigorous criti-
, cisiu which has been made in quarters
where the desire of railway executives
| fhat labor leaders have free speech Is
about as enthusiastic as their fOndness
| for the unions themselves.
| Feel Strike Is Beaten.
What certain rail executives fear
| and their viewpoint has by no means
| been coneeaEed-is that the unions will
| feel they have the strike beaten and, if
| the truth be known. many officials IN
| the government believe ii. too. But a.
| one member of the cabinet expressed 1t.
| lie government is not interested III
whether the effect of its action is to
rush unions or help unions, but TO get
/ transportation.
The attorney general acted because
| he and the President came to the con-
! cluSion that sabotage on the railroads
| lad to cease and that the injunction
process would stop it. The reports
since the injunction was issued, namely.
| a ouieting down Of the situation gem
orally, are pointed TO as JuStIhcaJloh OF
| the step taken" The government wants
! coal moved-it could not permit inter
| ference II will now insist on perform
| ance by the railroads. The injunctions
| are expected to prevent striking shop
| men from preventing willing workers
/ from repairing railroad equipment. II
| with the protection of the courts, work
/ erS cannot be secure and equipment con
| tinueS bad. tie next step will be re-
straining orders against the railways
| and if they find they cannot operate
! trains because of the governments in
| junction against the use of defective
! equipment. seizure of the coal carrying
| roads is contemplated.
That's the situation as rumors OF
| neacc talk fill the air. Traced to THEN
| point of origin. it Is found that numer.
Gus adjustments between individual
| roads and striking shopmen are being ne
| gotiated. Whether these adjustments
| viii be sufficient to give the country AIDE
quate transportation for its fuel nobody
| n the government knows but the inchn
| alton is to believe that the 'diehards
IN the railway executive group will not
| hermit settlement until they have
forced their victory clear to the hilt.