Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-06-30
EDITORIAL
THE BIGGEST ISSUE.

THE BIGGEST ISSUE.
DEN w. HOOPER, chairman of the
United States Railway Labor
Board and a member Of the group
on the board representing the pub
lie, in a statement just issued touch
ing the threatened strike of 100000
railway shopmen we believe speaks
ahe mind of the great mass of the
people of this country. He points
out that the strike that has been call
ed is fundamentally wrong because
if it comes it will be the great pub
lie that win bear its brunt to a
greater extent than any other He
says the people are sick and tired of
these controversies coming period
ically, AND HE IS EXACTLY
RIGHT. The people, as a whole es-
sentially fair minded and Just when
adequately informed, believe in dis
putes effecting the public being set
tied peaceably by negotiation, rather
than by force, and for that reason
the Railway Labor Board was set up
as a high court of justice Mr.. Hoop
er declares that the railway men
have no just cause for complaint at
the treatment received at the hands
OF the board. Those of us who recall
the increases in wages granted the
men over the pre-war period will be
inclined to agree with Mr.. Hooper
lie declares that the new wages fixed
by the board are considerably high
en- proportionately than the men drew
before the war in that they will buv
much more of the necessities of life
than before. he asserts that level
OF wages higher than other industries
has been fixed for the men and that
ohelr interests have been given every
consideration.
,.6n These statements being true-and
orm ey come from the spokesman af
s7-.he group representing the distinter-
ested public-surely it would he =
crime for the Transportation of +b;s
country to be tied up by strike ut
inns time. If the strike comes. we
believe it will be as unpopplar !,
Walkout as ever was undertaken and
'hat the cause of unionism, of which
We have always been a supportar-
mat IS, clean and fair unionism-
VIII suffer new self-inflictad
thrust IN a time when events have
not been altogether creditable to the
cause. Mr.. Hooper's statement is l.,
cid and to the point. He saws.
The people of the United sta+os
are sick and tired of having railway
transportation and traffic periodical
~ interrupted by controversies he
tween railway arrangements and an,-
p'oyes' 1t was this feeling which
moved congress to enact the trans
portation act of 1920.
The right to strike and tie nm nri-
Eate business is quite differnt
thlng from any supposed right r.
choke and obstruct the flow Of inter
state commerce in this vast con+;ro,,
TAI nation. Railway TRANSFORMATION
IS not private business. II is &c.
sentlal to the very existence Of on,
'efuohc and to the individual well
oeing Of every citizen.
ar
I do not hesitate to make tho rro
alcpon that never again will tboro
pc successful railroad strike of anv
considerable proportions of jmporf
anee IN this country. The people will,
not stand for it.
There must be peace on the ,aiI
roads. This cannot be obtained br
ieaVihg the carriers free to imposa
upJus' conditions upon the employees.
q by permitting the employees bv or
carnations, however powerful 70 IN,
pose unfair conditions upon the o.r
flefs and unbearable burdens unon
the public. upon
any tribunal having a jurisdiction
1,iniiaf TO that of the Railroad Labor
Beard will make mistakes. b1t tba
iae1 mat somebody criticises tho a.
u0n Of the board does not even raise
PRESUMPTION that M. take bss
been made. In these strenponslS
contested disputes before this board
somebody is always dissatisfied with
the results, "''H
But it is evident to every straon4
:. 'ne situation that the railway labor
ORGANIZATIONS have not just cause for
serious complaint at the treatment
they have received at the hands of