The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1922-07-13

liehtcn,ncnt all men will come to
see as social necessity that the
government must have authority to
maintain me services by which the
common needs of the community
are supplied.
The Railroad Strike
These comments apply to the rail-
road strike as we'll.
The constant assertion of per-
sonal rights causes men to lose thei-
balance where their own interests
are concerned, and there is nc
knowing how far they will go.
Utterances of some of the leaders
among both miners and railroad
men have indicated belief that they
have only to tie up the mines and
the railroads and wait for flag o.
truce from the owners. They ex-
pect the industries to gradually shut
down, the millions of wage-earners
10 be thrown out of employment
the transportation of food products
to cease, and the population GU
masse to be brought to the verge
of starvation, and to actually starvs
unless the employers give way.
This policy, if it is a real policy,
is based upon the assumption that
the government is either in1potent
or afraid to take action in such an
emergency as they hope to create
The assumption, however, is certain
to be disappointed if such situa-
ton ever arises. It is inconceivabls
that any government, however COM
posed, would fail to take action i1n-
der such conditions, and a govern
ment that has been maintaining Z
great organization to feed the stary-
ing people of Russia is not likely to
allow its own people to starve oz
freeze.
The railroad cases have been deaf.
with in the only manner by which
the public ever can attempt to
adjudicate such disputes. A cor,-
mission was crcated for the puz-
pose. Its composition is unique for
a judicial body, for it is made up Of
three members named by the rail-
road employees, three members
named by the railroad companies
and three members named by the
President Of the United States 10
represent the public. OF course,
the latter are the only members who
can be regarded as occupying a ju-
dicial position. The others are there
to give the proceedings something
of the character of a conference OF
all parties at interest. When the
three members representing the
public agree, the judicial decision is
pra ctically a unanimous one.
They have agreed in this instance,
holding that it is necessary in the
interest of the public that trans
portation costs be reduced, and that
the reductions that have been or
dered leave the wages affected
higher than for similar work outside
of the railroad service.
The Ideal Standard Wage
On the other hand, the dissenting
members of the commission, lik.
the attorneys who argued the casa
for the employees, set up vagu.
standard of living, which, if applied
to the 25,000,00O families in til,
United States would require cx-
penditures more than so per ce.at-
in excess of the total national
income.
Their argument seems to suppose
that the wages of railroad employees
are paid from some fund not in any
way related to the income of the
companies or to payments of the
public for transportation services
in other words, that they present an
abstract question which can be
settled without any consideration
for the people who in fact must
ultimately pay the pill. When it IL
remembered that the ideal standard
wage which is thus evolved must be
paid out of the earnings of people
who live on very much less. the
appeal on the ground of justice loses
all force. Everybody would like to
see the minimum wage raised in all
industries, and it is being raised bv
all the Improvements in Industrial
efficiency, but to arbitrarily set I'D
high standards for favored groups at
The exRfnee Of othsze il not sqeal