The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-11-02
G0NPERS, HEARST
AND FORD Played
BY HEAD Of BOARD
Chairman Hooper of Railroad
Labor Organization Says
Criticism Is Unjust.
DECISION ON LIVING WAGES
New TriumVirate' Scored for
Allegations Relative to
Official Rulings.

CHICAGO, Nov. "A biting reply
10 the new Triumvirate Of Hearst,
Gompers and Ford" for its criticisms
Of the railroad labor boards recent
living wage" opinion, was made by
Zen ". Hooper, chairman Of the
board, in a statement here Wednes-
day night
Hooper seeks both to explain and
support the boards majority stand on
the living wage" theory as presented
to IL by railroad labor board, and at
the same time hurIs barbed shafts Of
sarcasm at what he styles 1.-THE new
rrsumvirate" Of Edsel Ford, son Of
Henry Ford; President Samuel Com
gers Of the \. F. of L., and William r
Hearst, the publisher.
Remarks of Young Ford
Young Mr.. Ford breezily remarks
that the railroads would probably
suffer deficits for awhile, if the So
called living wage We're established"
Hooper said. "PIunging all the railway
systems Of the Nation into a deficit
does not disturb the equanimity Of
Mr.. Ford. He makes no reference to
the inevitable consequence Of such a
deficit. namely, higher freight and
passenger rates"
Hooper declared it is a matter of
quite general knowledge that the mar
gin Of profit in the mani facture Of tin
llzzies is much greater Il an il is in the
operation Of railroads" and that the
man who pays for the operation and
upkeep Of n Ford is in q better position
TO sympathize with the man who runs
railroads than is the manufacturer Of
the Ford"
Speaks With Authority
Mr.. Ford should be able to speak
Of railroad deficits as with author
ity." the chairman continues. "a few
months ago his papa bought a little
railroad and Immediately afterward
the country was prOpagaudizsd with
the wonderful story Of how this road
had been financially revitaHzed. Some.
sort Of gland operation had been per
formed which transformed It from an
anaemic liability to a Yirile asset. The
finger Of scOrn was pointed at all
other railway mana gements."
But suddenly the flow OF publicity
stopped" according to Hooper. who
says the records now show deficits on
the Ford railroads monthly reports
and that the deficit in August this
year was s3OO.404.
Opposition Is Success
or so far as the opposition Of Mr..
GOmpers to the Railroad Labor Board
IS concerned. il is sincere and under
standable," Hooper said.
"He is opposed 70 anything that
-
dom Of labor organizations to enforce
their demands on the railroads and
tire public by strikes. The issue is
clear between Mr.. Gompers ard those
who believe that the public has a
definite and positive right to efficient
and uninterrupted transportation.
which must not be destroyed by con.
troversies between carriers and their
employees.
Position of Hearst Papers
The position Of the Hearst -syndi-
cate Of newspapers on the living
wage seems to bear many Of the rec
ognizable earmarks OF political ex-
pediency," Hooper said, and this Is
an unsafe foundation for an economic
policy.
The board contends that 1t estab-
ljshed a living wage but not the
living wage system demanded by la
Dor. and IN this has served the best
interests OF the public generally and
has saved labor from the folly of
some of those who pose as its
friends. Adoption Of the living wage
would crush the railroads and ruin
their employees"