The Owosso times., 1922-09-08

bill because Of his desire to curb
profiteering, though he did not believe
that kind of legislation would wholly
perform its expected purposes. 1t was
understood that the Cummins bill with
the same objects would be taken up by
the senate as soon as. the bonus bill
was disposed Of.
In order to make clear the admins
tration's policy In the matter of the
railroad and anthracite strikes, Presi-
dent Harding authorized the announce
ment that he thinks 1t desirable and
necessary that congress, before ad-
journment, should authorize him to
take over the railroads and mines to
meet great national emergency
should one develop. Such legislation
must come voluntarily from congress,
however. Mr.. Harding will make no
formal request for 1t.
HENRY FORD has announced that
his entire plant at Dearborn,
Mich, will be shut down on September
10 because Of the coal situation. He
says he could get plenty of coal-if he
were willing to pay the price. But he
declares he will not stand for the
profiteering of the dealers and that he
feels he better than most manufactur-
ers can afford to make this form of
public protest against extortion. If
he Is sincere the American public will
be with him in this action, just as
Mayor Couzens of Detroit says that
city will support him in 1t. Ford's
enemies, In Wall street and elsewhere,
say he is bluffing, or is planning to
shut down because of decrease of de-
mand for his cars, or is making a
grand stand play because he hopes to
run for the presidency or some lesser
Office. Ford earnestly denies all these
charges.
FURTHER instances of violence and
= several short and unauthorized
strikes of trainmen marked the prog
ress Of the railway shopmen's strike.
Trains Of the Alton were tied up for
several days at Roodhouse, ILL.,, until
the trainmen, threatened with loss Of
their charter, went back to work. At
tempts were made to blow up several
of the Atoms bridges. Dynamite and
bombs were used by the strikers in
Florida, Alabama, Illinois and else
where, and in various places attempts
were made to wreck passenger trains
by pulling up rail spikes.
Striking shopmen under arrest for
wrecking Michigan Central train at
Gary, Ind, have confessed, duplicating
others, and have admitted that the
climax Of the reign of terror that was
planned was to have been the wrecking
of the Twentieth Century Limited near
Elkhart, Ind.
U r. CRADLE, representing the
Gs Brotherhood of Maintenance Of
Way Employees and Railroad shop
Laborers, last week petitioned the rail-
way labor board to establish new
wage scale. for railway workers and In
doing so to recognize the principle of
"living wage" The board refused to
do this, the majority holding that
"just and reasonable wage" as con-
ceived by the board, is "living wage"
Thereupon Mr.. Cradle wired Chairman
Cummins of the senate Interstate CON-
merce committee, asking that the
transportation laws be so amended as
to insure railroad employees mini
mum living, wage"
u EFORE the senate passed the SOL
- diers' bonus bill 1t adopted two
important amendments. The first, Of
fered by McNary of Oregon, Repub-
lican, provides for the appropriation of
$3.50, 900, 900 for the reclamation of arid
and swamp lands to provide farms for
ex-service men. The second, by Sim
mons of North Carolina, Democrat,
provides that the interest on the for
eign debt shall be used to pay the
bonus. Both Of these amendments
Will make more difficult the task Of
adjustment between the house and
senate bills, and for this reason they
we're supported by many senators who
are avowedly opposed to the bonus.
The Simmons amendment Is directly
contrary to the wishes of the admins
tration as expressed often by President
Harding and Secretary Of the Treasury
Mellon. Probably the bill will be got
out Of conference as speedily as pos
sible. as the congressman who support
II wish to reap the political benefits In
the fall campaign. but the feeling in
Washington at this time Ii that Presi-
dent Harding ID likely to veto the
measure.