Newspaper Page Text
Nev«mb«r, Mil
TRI ATLANTUK
A
Tennessee, was elected, acceptable to all groups, and the
armor is being burnished up to be in readiness for the Con
gressional elections next fall.
All that, however, is secondary to the campaign of
1924, and from now forward all the leaders will be busy
canvassing the possibilities of each man. At present, a very
lengthy and astute gentleman from New York, who travels
under the name of McAdoo, seems to have the inside edge.
Of Mr. McAdoo’s capacity and shrewdness there is no
doubt, but it is a long time to 1924. It may be well for the
leaders to give some study to one Mr. Jno. W. Davis, of
West Virginia, late ambassador to England, who wears a
man-size hat on a head packed with brains.
THE RAILROAD EXECUTIVES AND
THE BROTHERHOODS
The constant cry goes up that the two forces “must
get together.”
That sounds plausible, reasonable and right, but get
ting it done is a horse of another color.
The Brotherhoods appoint their officials and instruct
them by referendum vote.
The men behind the Rail Executives get together in
caucus and instruct the Executives.
Neither the spokesmen for the Brotherhoods nor the
Rail Executives are in any sense free agents.
On the contrary, they are bound by ironclad instruc
tions which are directly opposed the set to the other.
There is but one way under heaven whereby these ir-
reconcilables may be brought to see their own true inter
ests, and the interests of the great public which maintains
both the parties which keep up the conflict.
That way is for all the people-acting through govern
ment to give to the Board which has been laboring with
these implacables, unlimited power to do whatever the pub
lic interest demands, for after everything has been said,
the fact remains that the interest of the whole public is
paramount, as against the supposed interest of any part of
that public.
The root trouble lies in several factors. First, comes
tbj^lfishness of each party to the controversy, each want-
ih£ine advantage. Second, comes the politician who looks
only on the effect any given course of action will have on
his party; he does not give a continental dime for justice,
but would cheerfully see millions ruined if that would help
his party; and third, comes a stupid public which refuses
to think or study, and is frightened at any departure from
the traditions or practices to which it is accustomed, and
thinks it possible to cure with court plaster the ghastly
wounds on the economic body.
........ One thing the public must learn before we can remedy
our ills, railroad or otherwise, and that is the profound fact
that no national life can permanently abide which does not
recognize that so-called vested rights must give way when
necessity arises, to the public welfare.
This is not Bolshevism, but truth based on paying to the
vestees all that justly belongs to them and then setting them
aside for the public welfare, themselves included.
A layman, of good sense, a lover of justice, and famil
iar with conditions, can lay down in a thesis of one thou
sand words what would prove a satisfactory solution of
this whole vexed question.
The Brotherhoods and the Executives cannot get to
gether.
HENRY FORD AND THE RAILROADS
The rather amazing way in which Henry Ford has up
set all the traditions is an illustration of the fact that hard,
common sense and equity combined will rout all the high
financiers of earth, provided it is given a chance. Ford
handled his road on its merits as a transportation business^
This is entirely contrary to the system which has prevailed
so long and so disastrously.
The first consideration has always been the feathering
the nests of big financiers by common stocks, first and sec
ond preferred stocks, first and second mortgages, short
term notes and voting trusts, plus all the machinery of
stock exchange gambling. The actual managers of opera
tion have been nothing more than magnified clerks at
splendid salaries whose chief function is to handle the roads
in the interest, not of the public and the roads, but in the
interest of the men who manipulate the securities. And
that is what is the matter with the railroads and always has
been.
The writer has always known that the solution of our
railroad troubles laid and lies in unified control of all the
roads of the country under one management, with uniform
rates over the whole country, with freight carried by the
most direct route, and with a complete overhauling and
revamping of railroad securities.
Until this is brought about the eternal chaos will pre
vail.
If Henry Ford, or some one with his sound common
sense and sense of justice should be put in absolute author
ity over the railroads, we would see a miracle wrought in
side of two years.
As long as the American people submit to their great
transportation interests being kept the football of parasitic
financial interests, we can expect no betterment.
Our vote is for Henry Ford as Railroad Dictator.