The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1922-01-06
WeUndeYStuud

To date no relief has developed
in conditions at Ann Arbor railroad
shops where last week all men
with the exception of about 20
were laid off.
We all realize that times are
hard and that a working man must
at least have a square and fair OPP
portunity, If that opportunity be
possible to earn a livelihood for
himself and family.
If it is the object of the railroad
officials to compel the men to ac-
cept lower wages by throwing them
out of work, when work means the
very eXistance of their wives and
children, by sending work to out
side concerns, which could be
readily done here at the Owosso
shops. then it is time that action
be taken to make an adjustment
of affairs that would wipe clean
the slate of apparent hypocrisy. !" =
1t is said that the railroad Is
planning on sending another loco
motive to a Wisconsin shipyard
this week and that steel cars have
already been sent to q private con-
tractor in Toledo for repairs and
that the work on these cars and To-
comotives would make work for all
the men for about 60 days.
If the removal of work is to be
used as a lever against the men in
order that selfish gains may he
made, congress must act and the
president must demand a speedy
adjustment.
Naturally men want fair play
and are ready to meet anyone half
way. If the railroads want to re-
hn
them reduce freight rates and pas
When it comes to condition
that a poor forsaken old mother
hasn't enough money to travel
over the railroads to go to her dy-
ing son. and then is denied the op-
portunity of having him buried
at the old homestead cemetery be-
cause she couldn't bring enough
money together to pay for the
shipping of the body home il Is
high time that at least an adjust
ment be made and made imme-
diately.
Let us be fair-Let us be square
with each other. The war is over
and the profiteers are gradually
being forced out and exposed.
Wages will never reach the pre-
war basis of former years and let
us remember that we all have just
one life to live and that we cannot
take our earthly gains into the be-
yond. Let us remember that VIC
are not the only ones who live In
this great universe but that we
have brothers who have the right
to live as we do. We have BROTH
erc whose lives are just as valued
in. the eyes of the Creator of the
universe as the other. Nothing
was ever gained by selfishness,
nothing was ever gained from
greed of money. Rather should n
man die poor and loved than rich
and hated. The only heaven we
may expect Is that which we make
for ourselves and when a man
gropes into his innermost soul and
reads the truth which Is ever there
he knows the right from wrong
and that sti.l small voice within
his soul calls out play fair. Up
hold the Brotherhood of man.
Many railroad stockholders re-
ceived more money out of the war
than they had made in peace,
while many skilled railroad work.
ers received until 1920 less wages
in money value than before the
war, and paid twice as much to
live and to keep their families
alive. They were told that 1t was
their patriotic duty to do that.
and they did that, cheerfully and
at top speed.
Now then, no one has any right
to denounce these men as unpatri-
otic, no matter what~the outcome
of this present dispute. They cer-
tainly proved their patriotism by
deeds and sacrifices. when the ma
ton needed deeds and sacrifices.
Now as to their present wages,
the railroad corporations are still
charging the enormous rates they
were granted. These rates are
hurting the country's trade, and
of course diminishing trade is re-
fected in poor railroad business
and less revenue and less profit.
The same condition will continue
as long as railroad rates are be-
yond the producers and consum-
ers' power to pay. II is unpayable
rates. not high wages. which are
killing the goose that lays the
golden eggs. Nor will that con-
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