Evening star., 1923-06-23
Addresses Farmers Today at
Hutchinson on Nations
Agricultural Problem.
DRIVES HOME DANGERS
OF U. S. RAIL OPERATION
Chooses Kansas City to Contest Op-
position to Grouping Plan.
; Receivers From Sunburn.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
HUTCHINSON. Kans.. June 23.--
Agricultural unrest-the greatest
peril today to republican hopes and
aspirations stared President Harding
in the face as he reached Hutchinson
Kans, the heart of the wheat belt
Senator Arthur Capper. republican
who comes up next time for re-elec-
tion, dined with the President and
told him of the results of an inten-
sive study of conditions in Kansas
made ever since Congress adjourned
last March. The Kansas senator has
been In nearly every county in the
state and has talked to more than
$4,000 persons. His conclusion is that
while conditions are better politically
than they were, there nevertheless
has not been enough improvement tc
eliminate altogether the spirit OF
restlessness which was manifested in
the elections last autumn.
TacBkles Job OF Converting Farmer.
President Harding tackled the jot
Of converting the farmer to an en-
hanced interest In republicanism by
dwelling upon two basic questions
transportation, which means freight
rates, and the improvement Of agri-
cultural credits.
The President knew that in Kansas
City he was talking to a community
strongly prejudiced against the con-
solidation of railroad systems as pro-
posed. He knew also that he was
touching the farmers interest in di-
miniShed freight rates when he advo-
Gated combination In railroad systems
and economical operating benefits. He
felt IL his business. however. to drive
home the dangers of government own
ership, which he warned the Kansas
some plan of consolidation under
rigorous government supervision
were not put into effect.
Would Aid Weaker Lines.
, Mr.. Harding's idea Is that the larger
systems should be SO constituted that
the weaker and Improbable lines
would lean upon the stronger ana
profitable ones until the growth of
the country makes them all earn a
just return upon the capital invested"
The one trouble about communities
In this part of America Is that they
disbelieve the hard luck stories of the
railroads and have an Idea the trans
portation interests of the nation, gen.
orally speaking. are making all kinds
OF money. That may or may not be
true. but 1t Is going to be hard to put
through any more substantial guar
antees to the railroads which come
out of the public pocketbook.
Inasmuch as consolidation of the
railroad systems is admittedly of no
cause, as the President says, they
cannot reconcile their conflicting in
terests. the only chance Of getting
them to agree to voluntary consoli-
contamination" this is taken to mean
that Mr.. Harding would propose
higher limit of railroad profits than
they now, are permitted to earn and
that he will argue for 1t on the the
ory that ultimately 1t will bring lower
freight rates to the farmer.
Scores Managers Refusal.
Perhaps more startling than the
residents announced purpose of ask
ing Congress to legislate further on
the problem of voluntary consolida-
tion of railway systems was his
statement at Kansas City that he be-
lieved the United States Railroad
Labor Board ought not to be aban-
donei. Mr.. Harding says it never
has had the corporation of EN-
ployer and cmploye for which its
authors hoped" and declares that
notifications ought to be made which
would make the board more effec-
tive. The significant point of the
reference to the Labor Board was
this statement:
II am frank to say l DO not hope
ployes so long as decisions are
ignored by. the managers"
Explnins Anti-strlke Vote.
Looking at the Presidents speech
from the political angle. as no doubt
it will be viewed bv many because Of
the proximity of the presidential
campaign, it is noteworthy that Mr..
Harding. at Kansas City, took occa-
sion to remove one or two impress
sions concerning his attitude toward
labor. He explained anew that he did
not vote to forbid strikes when he
voted for the famous anti-strike pro-
vision In the Senate which subse-
Quently did not become q part of the
Esch- Cummings transportation law.
This vote has often plagued Mr.. Har-
ding since. He says the anti-strike
provision did not deny the right to
strike. but merely required that both
sides submit their disputes to an i'm
partial tribunal empowered to con-
slider the facts, determine the merits
and make an award"
The President insists that he does
not believe 1t possible under our form
of government to compel men to
work against their will" and that he
does not think 1t desirable under
any form Of government"
In Line With Utterances.
Mr.. Harding's overtures toward
labor are In line with previous utter
ances,. but he has in his Kansas City
speech indicated that the solution of
industrial strife rests after all in
American. not upon mandates OF law
or compulsory processes of arbitra-
tion, but upon mutual faith and hon
esty on the part OF employers and
employees. He gives no explicit
formula but, nevertheless. does not
take tho position so often attributed
to him that he would sponsor move
ments to forbid absolutely the right
to strike. Speaking of labor. the
President also made a pointed refer
ence to the high labor costs when,
in explaining the advantages of con-
solidating the nations railway mile
age into several major systems, he
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