Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-02-10
Truth Regarding the R.R.
Situation

WaSnlnSCOn-1ru mas Ueen having
a tough tussle with propaganda
liars, but seems at last to be coming
into it's own. Moving on her leaden
heels, Truth is rapidly overtaking
and moving down the battallions and
armies of prevaricators who have
been holding high revel at the ex-
pense of the public, particularly that
section made up of workers.
For instance, the multitudinous
railroad false witnesses. Ever since
the carriers were returned to their
private owners and long before they
have been having things their own
way. They have lied about the gov
ernment, the workers and the public.
They lied about themselves. The
truth was not in them.
Relying upon the proverbial gull
bility of the public, and supported by
a press that is as lacking in morals
as themselves, they put out state
ments affecting the operation of the
railroads that were so preposterous
that they should have carried their
own refutation. Railroad presidents
declare that government operations of
railroads was inefficient and eXpen-
sive, and the statement was accepted
without question. They said the
workers took advantage of the gov
ernment during the war to wiring ex-
orbitant wages out of the railroads.
The workers were charged with
Stacking during the war. There was
no basis for this statement, but the
public, accustomed to taking without
a grain of salt the periodical emana-
tions of the professional liars, be
lieved that, too.
These lies accomplished their pur-
pose. They forced reductions of
workers wages, the cancellation of
decent working conditions and
brought the workers into general dis
repute.
Now for the facts, as Truth has
dragged them with her out of her
bomb-proof.
Government control of railroads
according to former Rail Director
William G. McAdoo, was exceptionally
efficient and economical. 1t cost the
people nearly $100,000,000 a month
less than they are today paying.
The war could not have been won
with private management. The roads
had gone to pot when the government
stepped in. The managers admitted
their incapacity. For five months
after the roads were under federal
control the private managers were in
charge. They did awful things to the
government. Were We not so nice
about terms, their conduct could not
be described as being other than rank
treason.
These managers, now going up and
down the country denouncing the gov
ernment, did everything they could to
embarass a nation at war. They
wouldn't cooperate to break traffic
congestion. They padded payrolls and
otherwise looted government that
had both hands up to the elbows in
the pockets of its people searching
out war funds. They lied about the
condition of their cars and locOmo-
tives, about their finances, about ev-
erything.
That's exactly what they were do
ing, and they were getting away with
it until they were called to book by
Director McAdoo. He sent them let
ters telling them that they were mon
strously inefficient.
I've VI LIllS SOIC VI CIllIlS,
and then something happened. Nc
Adoo fired Sam Rea, Dan Willard,
Dice and Dressler and lot of other
100 per centers. Fired them out bod
lily, as he told them he would, unless
they changed their methods and de-
ported themselves as good Americans
should always deport themselves with
out pressure.
And ever since-for nearly four
years-these bob-tailed railroad pres
idents, discharged for incompetency or
disloyalty or whatever it was-have
been employing Ivy Lee and kindred
highbinders to denounce
the government and destroy the peo-
ple"s confidence in it.
The workers didn't take a strangle
hold on Uncle Sam and hold him up
for wages. McAdoo says they re-
ceived less for their service than
workers in competitive industries per-
forming similar work. They worked
for year of war at starvation wages.
Then they got an increase, but still
worked under the subsistence level.
And they worked, too, if McAdoo
knows what he is talking about.
IlCy gave anu
antly, he says, and he is backed up
by railroad officials who were not scut-
ting the transportation machine.
Here is the record, as it is given
by McAdoo:
"The fact is that railroad employees
worked for less pay during the war
than any other class of industrial
workers doing similar work. The fur
ther fact is that no fair complaint
can be made of the part the railroad
employees performed during the war.
The realization that they were work
ing for their government, in the stress
and strain of war; that their patriotic
service was essential to victory, and
that they would be fairly treated, in
spired and spurred them to unusual
effort and faithful service"
The workers sacrificed while the
managers skulked. The workers real
lied they were working for their gov
ernment, while the presidents were
working against the government.
Workers have doubtless been discour-
aged and dismayed by the barrages of