The Little River news., 1919-10-11
WILL BE SHOWDOWN ON STRIKE QUESTION
Senate Committe to Approve Cummins' Bill FOrbidding Railroad Walk
 outs; Will Pass. Says Author.

Washington, Oct 8-There is to be a showdown in Congress on the ques- tion of compulsory arbitration and of the right of organized labor to strike without consideration of the public welfare
 This was made certain today when Senator Cummlns of Iowa announced that the Senate Committee or Inter state Commerce, of which he is chair man, will recommend next week the passage of the Cummins railroad bill, including the provisions prohibiting strikes and lOckouts in the transpOr- tation systems of the country.
 The bill will be amended in some places, but it's general outlines will be preserved in every respect. The anti-strike provisions are to be chang ed to correct phraseology but their ef- feet will not be altered.
 Senator Cummins expressed conf dence today that the Senate would ratify the recommendation of the com mittee with regard to the prevention of strikes and iockouts, despite the of Labor and the railroad brother hoods He said that the legislation should not be regarded in any sense as the forerunner of similar measures to prevent strikes or establish com pulsory arbitration. The time had come, he said when the interest of the public was so vitally concerned in the continuous operation of the rail- roads that legislation to prevent in- terruption of the traffic by strikes or loekouts is absolutely imperative.
 The senator said he mad decided to advocate anti-strike legislation for l railway employees with considerable reiuc;ance. He felt that it could not railroads He viewed railroad em- ployes as occupying peculiar reia- lion to the public welfare, consider a5Iy di)1 erent from the position of employees in purely private enter prise. The Adamson act, he declared convinced him that anti-strike legis- lation must come. He opposed the AdarsOn law, he said, and warned the 1 trotherhoods then if they persist in their demonstrations, anti-strike legis- lation must inevitably result.
 Ike recommendation of the com mittee provides for the creation of a committee of wages and working | conditions, empowered to fix wages of railroad employees and to decide all controversies arising between the employees and the corporations. The committee is to be composed of four representatives of the railroad cor perations and four representatives Of tue employees. Refusal to obey the de- cisions of the committee is made pun nshable by a fine of $500 and impris- onment for six months.
 In the event of a deadlock of this committee, the question at issue it to be referred to an appeal board of five members aoppointed by the presi- dent
 eff two or more persons the bill provides, center into any combina- ton of agreement with the intent sub stantially to hinder. restrain or pre- vent the movement of commodities or person in interstate commerce.; or en- ter into any combination or agreement which flinders, restraints or prevents the movement of commodities or per sons in interstate commerce., such persons so combining and agreeing shall be deemed guilty of conspiracy and shall be punished by fine not to exceed $500 or by Imprisonment not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and Imprisonment; provided,
 That nothing herein shall be taken to deny to any individual the right to quit his employment for any reason"
 The anti-strike clause of the bill are certain to produce considerable debate in the senate Some senators will inquire how the government would proceed to enforce the law if the rail road employees should defy it and strike. Would it be possible to throw a million or more railroad employees into jail? Would it avail anything if only the strike leaders were jailed? And if one million workers were jailed, how would it be possible to find suffi- cient men to operate the roads? Senator Thomas, Colorado, is deter mined to force the Senate on record on his resolution to repudiate the la bor immunity clauses in the anti trust legislation and to condemn the "closed shop"