Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-27

case by stating that this is the reason
they are willing to be drafted for the
army. because the army Is operated by
the government, and not by individuals
for profit, and that this is why being
drafted for the army is not a form of
slavery.
Says Federal Operation Unpopular
This may be all right in theory
continued Mr.. Babson, 'but the public
Is in no mood at present for further
government operation. The results of
the war, in connection with the opera
ton of the railroads, the building and
operation of ships and the various
other interests in which the govern
ment took a hand, show that under
present conditions government opera
ton is expensive, inefficient and unsat-
isfactory.
THE public believes today that bet
ter organization, better discipline and
lower costs come through private oper-
alton. The public further believes that
private operation should continue so
long as the present employees of the
railroads, public utilities and coal OBJ
orators are not compelled to work for
the owners of these properties. but are
free to leave them and work for other
people, and SO long as there are plenty
of other men available and willing to
work on the railroads, public utilities
and coal mines under a system Of COM
pulsory arbitration.
I'm view of these facts, it seems to
me that the public will not at present
take seriously the claim of the labor
leaders that compulsory arbitration ap-
piled even to industries operated for
! HrAft q - IL L. re
to apply to all industries or if there
were not a group of men perfectly will
ing TO work on the railroads. public
utilities and coal mines under a system
of compulsory arbitration, then there
might be some justice in the slavery
argument. To-day. however. railroad
men are perfectly free to go into other
lines for which no compulsory arbitra-
ton is suggested, while hundreds of
thousands of men are willing to work
for the railroads, public utilities and
even the coal operators under a COM
pulsory arbitration system. How will
such a compulsory system be put In OPP
ieration in connection with the railroads,
public utilities and mines? Possibly the
people will be so irritated that con-
gress will, with one swoop. apply the
Kansas industrial court idea to the
railroads. public utilities and mines. /
hope, however, this will not be done.
The need of the hour is to have work
ers feel right. We shall never have
efficiency and q reduction in the cost
of living until those engaged in industry
feel right toward their work. People
never feel right when forced to do
anything against their better jJNdg-
ment- Hence, my forecast is as fol-
lows:
For Chance for Old Men
THE railroad labor boards rulings
will not now be made compulsory as to
the present employees. but they will be
made compulsory on every employee who
goes to work for the railroads after a
certain date. Those employees who are
now at work for the railroads came on
a free. competitive basis and have done
faithful work. Although theoretically
they can change to some other job, yet
practically they cannot. They know
the railroad business and this is all
they do know. and it isn't fair to say
they can quit at their present time of
life and enter a new field of work.
Therefore, I say that unless these
present employees will voluntarily come
under the the compulsory arbitration
system, they should be free TO continue
as at present. But every additional
man hired viii be hired with the dis
tinct understanding that he viii con-
form to the decisions of the railroad
labor board, as must the stockholders
of such corporations. This would be
!, perfectly fair and would bring about a
result which would be gracefully ac-
icepted by all in the course of time. I'm
der this system it would take a few
years to bring about the desired result.
but we would rapidly approach 1t from
year to year, and when adopted it
would have the full cooperation of all
concerned. This is my forecast of the
way that the problem will ultimately be
worked out. Then there win be no
more strikes on our railroads, nor In
connection with the public utilities,
mines, etc. when the same method is
extended to include them also.
1.-THE Babsonchart continues to re-
fleet existing conditions with remark
able accuracy. 1t now stands at 8 per
cent below normal. Were it not for
the strike situation of the past few
weeks, it would be much higher. Never
theless. the tide has turned for the bet
ter and business will be better this fall
than last, in spite of the strikes"
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Eskimos on the Siberian coast north
east of .Anadyr, are drinking great