Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Half a century ago the eastern
part of the United States was the
scene of one OF the
0TaVe LABOR most serious conflicts
disturbances between capital and
OAS'uA ooAoeS labor" this country
has ever experienced in life and prop
erty. The trouble. started with a
strike on the Baltimore & Ohio Rail.
road, which lasted about two weeks.
The Star Of July 81, 1877, says:
1.-THE railroad strike, which has
been widening in it's area since the
first demonstration at Martinsburg on
Monday, reached the point Of an in
surrection in Baltimore last night,
resulting in a conflict between the
Maryland Militia and the rioters, in
which 10 or more persons were killed
and many injured.
1.-THE sudden rise and the tigerish
fury of the riotous element shows that
the mob spirit which has had such
terrible sway in Baltimore on many
occasions in the past still exists to a
certain extent, and that very little
encouragement on the part of public
sentiment and very little vacillation
on the part Of the authorities will
serve to reinstate it in the most dan
gerous form. But the substantial ele-
ments Of Baltimore citizenship are
evidently impressed with the neces.
sity for promptly suppressing mob
law In the business interests Of the
city, if for no other reason. These in
terests have already suffered material
ly by the weeks strike, especially the
cattle, grain, provision, petroleum,
coal and coal oil traffic. 1t is matter
also demanding the consideration Of
working men and poor people that
this interruption to cattle, grain and
provision transportation means higher
prices to them for all these articles of
food.
widespread as are the present
strikes, and formidable as the demon
STATIONS Of the strikers are for the mo-
ment, there probably can be but one re-
subtitle strikers must ultimately sue
cumb. The reduction in wages made by
the railroad companies, though onerous
upon the freight employees, whose pay
is small at best. is apparently necessi-
tated by the prostration or railroad
business and, hard as the terms may
be, the employees will have to accept
until better times what the companies
can afford to pay them. At the same
time, the railroad companies should
take pains to thoughtfully supervise
their scale Of reduction, in order that
no special hardships should be made
to fall upon any class Of employees.
According to the statement OF our In.
telligent Baltimore correspondent, 1t
would seem that the fremen upon the
Baltimore & Ohio road have a just
complaint and special grievance in the
manner in which their small pay has
been reduced"
In the same issue is the following
comment upon the general labor sit.
uation:
''It is useless to longer disguise the
gravity Of the situation or to get rid
of the apprehension Of more and
serious conflict between the laboring
and employing elements OF the coun-
try. A strike on one Of our great
trunk railway lines has extended rap
idly eastward and westward, until now
thousands of employees are bidding de.
fiance to the railroad companies. in
terfering with travel and the trans.
portation Of the malls and stopping
the running Of freight trains to the
material detriment OF the business Of
the country. But the railroad EN-.
ployes form but a fraction Of the dis
satisfied element. Everywhere they
count their sympathlZerS by the thou-
sands among the unemployed poor Of
many branches Of industry. 1t Is
singular fact that such condition Of
affairs should exist in view OF the
abundance which prevails throughout
the entire country. There is q dearth
Of nothing in the way of breadstuffs,
and yet the country is filled with an
army Of tramps, many Of whom are
willing to work IL they are only af. !
forded the opportunity. Our states |
men must solve the problem whether |
there is any remedy by legislation |
for this state OF things. Thus far |
they have failed utterly and left the
problem to solve ITSELF