Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1925-05-22

Comment and Criticism
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I Comment and Criticism :
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Florida is ab1u, TO begin trial Of
the notorious turpeutine camp peon-
age cases. Also the Florida legisla-
ture is considering legislation 10 aeal-
ism the lash.
PeOnagc ana the lash have gone To-
gether through the ages. Where
there is one there Is the other.
Cases TO be brought to trial rest on
evidence tina. Negroes have been
forced 10 work by all Of the good old
devices. such a. debt, false arrest and
conspiracy between companies To con-
4 tinue peonage and bulwark each other
in the hateful practice.
That anyone could be found 30 de
fend the practice of peonage seems
| ridiculous, yet there are those IN Flor
ida who 40 defend the institution and
who are fighting for its continuance.
Where there is profit there generally
are those who viii defend the means
by which that profit is gained.
But eventually peonage will go. II
, is to be hoped Florida has seen the
last Of it. | any event, the country
will have its eyes on Florida for some
| thing else besides its ocean beaches,
its real estate values and its fine
fruits. The country wants 10 know
what Florida is going to do about
peouage.
rs Il Just and Reasonable is the
title of a small pamphlet issued by
! the United Brotherhood of Malnten-
ance Of Way Emyployes and Railroad
| Shop Laborets. This union comprises
| the majority of the unskilled employe
on our rialrods. The number of such
employees exceeds a quarter of a mil
lion men. Their average wage for
the year 1923 was 1888 a month. OF
$3.50 a year; Tor the first four months
Of 1924 it was $71.75 per month, on
the equivalent Of 1851 per year.
This Is the rate Of compensation
about which the little pamphlet asks
rs it just and reasonable - The last
three words are taken from the Ian
guage of the transportation act OF
1920, which requires the Railroad
Labor Board to establish rates of pay
and salaries or standards of working
conditions which, in the opinion of Tho
board, are just and reasonable
The authors of the little pamphlet
contend that an annual wage of SSSt
is not just and reasonable. They
maintain that this income is far from
adequate TO support man and his
family in anything like decent condi-
tons. In proof of this assertion, they
submit estimates of the cost of living
made by II different authorities be
tween 1900 and 1920. These family
| budgets all refer TO a man and wife
and three children under II years Of
ace Converted INTO the prices pre-
yailing in December, 1923, the average
of these II budgets is Sl,i49.13.
| This glazing injustice to a large
/ body Of working men Is declared by
the little pamphlet to be matter OF
public responsibility. If words ana
! institutions have any meanin0. this
! Judgment i correct. The United
States Railroad Labor Board fixes the
compensation of all classes of railroad
employees. Despite the pleas of this
Iunderpaid section Of employees, the
! Railroad Labor Board has consistently
declined to award them living wages.
In fact, it has formally repudiated
the doctrine Of a living wage. So
long as the board exists and functions,
the responsibility for its acts rests
! upon the Government of the United
States and the people of the United
States. -
Therefore. the authors of the little
pamphlet are entirely justified in pre-
senting the two following paragraphs:
rs this the public's idea Of indus
trial Justice Does the travelling puo-
lie. the shipper and others dependent
upon maintenance Of way employees
for safe tracks and bridges. approve
of this wage? Do ministers, teachers
and doctors, who advocate religious,
mental and physical improvement for
America. think it possible to raise
families, attend and contribute to
churches. educate children and main
tain the family health and deeeney on
$3.50 a year, -.
"If so, then let the American public
cease il hypocfitical advocation OF
the living wage and indorse the abom-
irable law Of supply and demand in
order that ill-paid railroad mainten-
apce of way workers may know deh-
nitely that there is hope for better
wages