The Washington times., 1922-11-02

DECISION
Of BOARD
Continued from First Page)

NpHNliiu'u lipill u iEN No.
Ford il In a better position 10 sym
pathiZe with the men who run rail
roads than is the manufactures or a
Ford.
"Mr. Ford should he able 10
speak OF railroad deficits aS one
having authority. \ few months
ago his papa bought lltile ran
road and Immediately aftcrward tho
country was propagandiz"d win
the story of how this road had been
financially rcvitalized. Some sort
Of gland operation had been per
formed on IL which transformed II
from an anacmic liability TO virile
asset. The finger of scorn was
pointed at all other railway man
agements.
Suddenly the flow Of publicity
halted. The records now show that
the Ford railroad, although II has
the benefit of the diversion of the
tonnage OF the Ford Motor Com
pany, an advantage II did not enjoy
before he purchased II. has expert
enced deficits at the end of several
months. The deficit in December,
1921, was S33l.240; in July, 1922,
sl6.367. and in August, l"22, 5000
404. II also goes without saying
railroad cannot bc taken "a ex-
emplary of the operation OF the
great railway systems of tn" coun'
try.
Believes GOmperS Sincere
"Insofar as the opposition of Mr.,
Gompers TO the Railroad Labor
Board is concerned, it is sincere
and Understandable. IL" IL opposed
10 ANYTHING that looks toward Il
limitation of the freedom ut labor
ORGANIZATIONS To enforce their .de'
mands on the railroads and public
nv their strikes. II is clear be-
tween Mr.. GOmp"rs and those who
believe that the public has def.
mite and positive right 10 efficient
and uninterrupted transportation.
which must not lie destroyed 10y
controversies between carriers and
their employees.
The latter view Is not hostile
to organized labor. No greater
blessing can be conferred upon III"
employees of the railroads than 10
free them from the necessity or
engaging in recurring industrial
struggles at the cost of enormous
loss and suffering TO Themselves
and at the same tine to guarantee
TO them lust ard r"a sonahlc wages
and working conditions.
THE attitude of the Hearst
syndicate of papers Is not quite 80
clear. Their advocacy Of the re-
taxation of restrictions against for'
cign immigration cannot be con-
strued as friendly to nigh wages
for common labor. 1t is quite
obvious that the surest possibl"
means for prompt and radical re-
duCtion in wages is to let down
the bars to the millions of aliens
that desire to enter. The position
Of this syndicate of papers on the
living wage bears many OF the
recognized earmarks of political eX.
pedienCy and this is an unsafe
foundation for an economic policy.
Acted To Serve Public.
"Thc board in it's action on this
question has not only served the
best interests of the public in gen.
eral, but has saved labor from the
folly of some of those who pose
as its friends.
"A wage award which would
crush the railroads would ruin their
employees.
-
create an enormous deficit in every
railway treasury would necessitate
the imposition of higher freight
rates on the farmers, producers. and
shippers of this country. Does TINS
syndicate of papers advocate an In
crease in freight rates and the con-
sequent increase of living costs to
the masses? If not, from what
source do they expect to obtain the
l25 per cent increase which the So
called living wage would neccss..
tate?
THE living wage idea presented
10 the Labor Board called for ~
to as cents per hour minimum for
common labor all over the United
States and the maintenance OF
proper differentials for skilled labor.
On the basis of the railway income
for 1921, this would have created u
railway deficit OF s2,24l .639.5lS.
Contends Wage Now Exists.
zone OF the expert economists
who presented the matter to the