Arizona republican., 1922-06-19
PRESENT RAILROAD
SITUATION HOPEFUL
SAYS BENW. HOOPER

CHICAGO, June 1S.-The railroad
situation today Is hopeful and by fall
many of the present difficulties Will
be smoothed out, Ben w. Hooper
chairman of the United States rail-
road labor board, said in a state
ment tonight reviewing the problems
before the board. Neither rates nor
wages are permanent, he said, De-
cause the conditions on which they
are based are not permanent.
He expressed the belief that the
railroads of the country soon Will
voluntarily discontinue the farming
out of work regardless OF their opln-
ions as to its legality. Thls, ne
thought, will go long way toward
restoration of cordial relations be-
tween the carriers and thelr en-
ployes. The Southern Pacific already
has taken this action voluntrlly, he
said.
His statement follows:
assAmid all the mutterings of dis
content and rumors of war on the
railroads, the note Of the peace blrd
is still quite audible TO me.
9aIt is claimed as one of the in
aIienable rights of the citizens in this
country to cuss any court. board or
tribunal for its judgment and decl-
sionS.
"A few weeks ago. a leading rail-
road periodical asserted that the rail-
road labor board was completely
dominated by the wishes of the labor
organizations.
4. s.sa''Within the last few days the pub
lie has been informed that the board
is blind and deaf to everything eX-
cept the desires of the railroads. Dis
eliminating public will find the truth
at a point about half way between
these two extremes.
"The railroad owners want good
profits. The employees want high
wages. The public demands reason
able rates, and efficient service. The
railroad arrangements really desire
every one of these things and their
problem therefore is most difficult
one. Difficult as may seem the ST.
nlultaneous accomplishment or al
these conflicting results. the end Will
be attained if everybody will Just
keep 'cussin'.'
'In other words out of all this
agitation. the American people VIII
finally learn the truth about the
necessities of our great transporta-
tfon system, the rights of the en-
ployes and the interests of the public
and this knowledge will be followed
by correct action.
"The present situation is hopeful.
There is no occasion for impatience
on the part of anybody. Neither rates
nor wages are permanent because
the conditions on which they are
based are not permanent.
1T is my prediction that long be-
fore fall manv of the wrinkles will
be ironed out of the railroad situa-
ton. There is reason to believe that
the railroads will remove one i'm
pediment to good feeling on the part
Of their employees by disseminating
the contract system, regardless OF
their convictions as to its legality.
This will go long way toward the
restoration of cordial relations. Only
yesterday the board received a COM
municatior from the Southern Pa
cific giving notice that the labor con-
tracts complained OF by it's employees
has been done away with. and that
the road had no intention of again
reserting to the contracting of its
labor. There are reasons to believe
that this example viii be speedily
followed by other railroads. 1t is the
unanimous judgment of the labor
board that it should be if the men
are expected to respect the decisions
of the board. the management must
do the same thing A fair-minded
public will not stand for anything
else"