The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-09-27
The Government and Railroad
EMPLOYMENT

AAARAOy AAlNAAV e
The number Of railway employees has averaged thus
far in 1880 about 100000 less than in 1928, and even in
1929 averaged $4,000 less than in 1923. The Railway Age
attributes the decline in the number Of employees largely
to influences affecting the volume of railway traffic, in
Guiding especially the government policies Of stimulating
the growth Of traffic on highways and waterways at the
expense of the taxpayers. 1t raises the question as to
why railway employees, especially leaders Of labor organ
izations, have done. and are doing, so little to combat
government policies that are plainly inimical to rail-
way employees.
Both those who own and operate railways and those
who own and operate motor coaches and trucks are en-
gagged in business for profit" says the Railway Age.
why. then, should the government 80 aid and regulate,
or fail to regulate, operators of motor vehicles as to
enable them to take traffic from the railways which the
railways could handle at q lower total economic cost,
when the effect is not only to reduce railway traffic. but,
also. to reduce the number Of persons the railways can
employ?
1.-THE policy of the government in regard to waterways
Is still more unsound economically and unfair to both the
railways and their employees. It furnishes highway to
inland water carriers entirely free. It Is, operating q
barge line on the Mississippi river which. on the average,
has not even earned its operating expenses, much less
any interest on the investment in its facilities. and which
In consequence constantly incurs large deficits which
are betrayed by the taxpayers. It is proposing to spend
hundreds Of millions of dollars upon deepening other
S - = V"~ SAOI VAV uOV " W444C0
will be given free to water carriers, including the govern
ments barge line. Finally, the government refuses to let
the railways make lower rates to the Pacific coast to
meet steamship competition through the Panama canal
than they make to intermediate points, although the eff
feet plainly is to divert traffic from the railways and re-
duce the number of persons that they can employ.
Political influence is largely responsible for the gov
ernmental promotion of various forms Of competition
with the railways. Railway labor leaders and employees
have political influence that they could use to combat
the political influence that Is being used to their detri-
ment. Curiously enough, however, while railway en-
ployees have made organized efforts on a national scale
Tor other purposes, they have never used them to combat
government policies that divert traffic from the railways.
Western radicals, such as Senators Brookhart Of Iowa and
Norris OF Nebraska. are among the most ardent support
ers Of waterways. Senator Brookhart not long AGO was
quoted rs saying that 1t might not be long until the coun-
try would have no need Of railways. OF course, it would
then have no need Of railway employees. Nevertheless,
Brookhart owes his seat in the senate largely to the vote
OF railway employees and continues to be one Of the most
beloved political associates of most railway labor leaders"