New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-06
After the Strike, What?


assaulted from many quarters, have
not been justly treated in this
country. They have suffered what
is tantamount to confscation.
Beginning with the original inter-
state commerce act, continued in in
Expectations of the Sherman law,
applied still further in the Hepburn
act, and reaching noxious fruition in
the Adamson law and McAdoo gov
ernmental operation, practice and
8 policy ripened which has lessened
the number of those willing to make
investment.
1t was seen that the protection
the Constitution gives to private
property had been weakened. Con-
troll over railroad income was first
assumed and then came control
over railway expenditure. When
railroad owners had only partial
power to harvest the profits arising
from excellence in management
naturally few wanted to become
their partners.
The consequences have been bad,
az they were certain to be. Not only
have investors seen their securities
shrivel in their hands, but the pub
{ lie, through the Encouragement Of
initiative, has been denied better
ments. The American railway sys-
tenn, once the wonder Of the world
and year by year giving better serv-
ice at lower costs, has narrowly
avoided collapse. Terrific has been
the price paid by the public for its
blunders. In this country no more
than in Russia can the public be we'll
served when the hope of profit is no
longer an incentive to service. In
the old days there were grave abuses,
but to end them has been an expen-
sive process.
At last it came to be recognized
that change in policy was indis-
pensable. A step, though a slight
one, toward rationalizing the public
control system, which could not at
once be overthrown, was taken in the
Cummins-Esch act. Though it
doubtless would have been wiser and
more logical to have placed control
over rates and wage costs in one
body, this was deemed impracticable,
and the Railroad Labor Board was
created as separate entity.
- 1t was urged that the new board
AID take cognizance of the acts of
|, The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion-that the decisions of the two
boards would inevitably be synchro-
Mzed and harmonized, though there
was no express mandate to this eff
1ect and though the rulings Of the
LABOR Board were not legally COM
puisory' Parallel action, it was said,
would come from indirect pressure.
Inc test of whether this new
scheme to resuscitate the railroads
was 10 have a chance to develop
ZANE last spring, eliminating in or
aefs effective on July l. On the one
s'ae reduction of rates was en-
'.iAed and on the other a reduction
" the shipments wages. The first
.eceiclerancy came from the railroad
aanagers, some of whom refused to
sSsept the boards decisions. Then.
10l.owlng the example, the shopmen
REUSED to obey. It looked like
e0mplete breakdown.
Inc prime object Of the Admin
.,sfation since has been to establish
.4s authority of the Labor Board BIZ
.aaaclng both sides to accept it's de-
s,s'ohs. Were this secured the Pres
vent thought a notable gain would
% made. with some assurance
ssaihst future Interruptions of
.4shsportation. To get this and Sc
suee a settlement he deemed that the
ssa,0fity issue, arising during the
ssf'ke' should be settled by a com
s1oinise similar to those often
acned in this and other countries
men industrial disputes are brought
an end. The railroads having
sa'hea the wage cut they sought and
1s shopmen having promised not to
.epeat their offense, he believed the
.anfoad executives should be sat
.a''sa with their summers work and
~ ,ns'st on rubbing their victory in.
MS settlement, though the shop