The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-11-18

WA01lNIION.-l DeueVe II can
be said that most readers of news
papers digest" their news rather
slowly. 1t is not their fault en-
tirely that the full significance of a
news story escapes them even
though it may be spread under black
headlines on the front page. Nor
do I mean to say that all readers
are lax. It seems to be true, never
theless, that days or weeks or even
months and years may pass some
times before the intangible person
atty that we call ''the public" has
considered fully the significance Of
reported events.
Existence of this condition, how
ever, is warrant for an attempt at
analysis of what has happened, what
is happening, and what is likely to
happen in the railroad industry.
Perhaps that statement should have
added to it the suggestion also that
there will be something affecting the
public, too, in connection with the
recent series of incidents and events
directly concerning the rail indus
try. Indeed, prospective develop
ments portend even more.
There were, of course, the many
dangers of a financial character
with which the railroads were be-
set. There followed the attempt of
railroad management to reduce ex-
penses by a program cutting wages
of the workers by is per cent, and
there came almost Immediately
thereafter the dread specter of
strike threat by the million or more
rail workers who are highly union
lied. After that, in the sequence of
events was President .Roosevelt's
utilization of the law providing for
consideration of the differences by
fact finding commission for the first
time.
It is necessary only as a further
review to recall that the fact find
ing commission heard days of testi-
mony and reported to the President
that a wage cut was unjustified.
But the commission made no con-
structive suggestions. AS matter
of fact, it added nothing to the total
of human knowledge, but it got
lot of publicity for its findings.
Legislation to Relieve
Railroads Up to Congress
The problem was, thereupon, left
in Mr.. Roosevelt's lap. He called
in the representatives of the rail
arrangements and the leaders of the
unions. The rail executives were
willing to call off the proposed wage
cut, if there were any way to be
found to keep the railroads from
going bankrupt-more than half Of
the mileage being already in the
hands of receivers. Union leaders
reiterated they did not want to strike
and they did want the railroads to
get on their feet, because it meant
jobs. j. ]. Policy, spokesman for
the rail lines, asked then what the
government could or would do, and
Mr.. Roosevelt promised legislation.
So there we are today. There will
be no strike. There will be consid-
Grafton of rail legislation in the next
session of congress that will be de-
signed to help the railroads so they
will have at least as much income
as expense. And it will be sup
ported by Mr.. Roosevelt's admins
tration, by the railroads and by the
railroad unions.
But I am wondering whether the
country as whole is fully aware of
what is behind the troubles that
formed the immediate basis of the
news developments recorded above.
And I am wondering further wheth-
er the shock of the strike threat
has awakened the country as a
whole to the need for a thorough
going re-examination of the situa-
ton in which the railroads find
themselves! Because it is in the I'M
DERIVING conditions that we are GO
ing to find solution. None can deny
that we need rail transportation
none can deny that they either must
operate without losses or else they
are going to be left in the lap of
the government, and what a terri
BILE mess that would be, for govern
ment seldom runs anything without
making a mess of it. The rail prob
lem, its relation to other forms of
transportation, the public interest,
national policy, all must be threshed
out very soon. It can not be longer
avoided without increasing the dan
gers of genuine national suffering.
Public Has Tremendous
Responsibility to Bear
When consideration of the various
phases of the condition gets under
way, if it is done thoroughly, con-