The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-11-05
ARE PREPARING
TO MAKE WAR ON
RAILR0ADERS

When Congress reconvenes the
railroad managers propose making
an effort to secure the annulment
of the national agreement made by
the Federal Government and rail
road workers. This is to be done
by amendment of the portation
act The railroad managers, hav
ing secured about everything they
asked for in the way of financial
help, now demand a free hand in
dealing with their workers. They
want to reduce forces, cut wages
and restore the iniquitous piece
work system. They were already to
do some of these things when the
railroads went back to private con-
troll, but they found that there
were serious obstacles in the way.
Now they are going to remove them
by legislation.
Anticipating favorable action by
Congress-the railroads have not
been disappointed for some time
and have no reason to anticipate
any rebuffs from a membership
made up largely of railroad attorn-
eys-railway managers are now con
Quoting an extensive campaign which
has for its purpose the prejudicing
of public sentiment against railroad
workers.
They have persuaded Candidate
Harding to make a number of
speaches in which he has denounced
raidroad men as "slackers," The
committee that is conducting Hard
ing's campaign has given instruc-
tions to its speakers that they must
emphasize the inefficiency of work
ers. And most of them are follow
ing orders, Notwithstanding the facts
refute every allegation they are
making.
Railroad president are going be
fore Chambers of Commerce and tell
ing the members that the railroads
have received decent treatment from
Congress, but now they are up
against it because the workers have
too much liberty. The government,
they say, made a greater error
when it permitted the men to or
ganize and bargained with them col
lectively. This must not be the
future policy of the railroads, the
presidents say, if the people expect
to get the right sort of service.
General Atterbury is chief prop
agandist of the Pennsylvania rail
road. He says the efficiency Of
the workers decreased 25 per cent
during federal control OF course,
Mr.. Atterbury is guilty of plain
lying, but how many of his auditors
know it? How many have read the
report of the former director of
transportation, Walker D. Hines, in
which he proves that the efficiency
of workers increased under federal
control-that a greater volume Of
business was handled and that few
er working hours were purchased?
The press has been silent on these
matters and the public is not in
formed. SO General Atterbury is
having things pretty much his own
way, especially when he is before
trade bodies that are anxious to
hear the things he tells them.
Great Crisis Impends
The railroads are not spending
large sums preparing the public
mind without some ulterior purpose
in view. They are getting ready to
go to the mat with the workers, as
one official expressed it, and they
want the help they can get from
the government.
The Cummins- -Esch bill will be a
big help to them. When it was be-
ing considered in Congress a leading
lawyer for the railroad presidents
wired his chiefs as follows: "The
only difference between the anti
strike clause in the Cummins bill
and the labor provisions of the con
ference report is that in the former
a penalty is affixed which has to be
tried by a jury, while in the latter
an injunction method will be follow
ed and the penalty fixed and as
sessed by a court in contempt pro-
ceedings and not by a jury, which
is better for the railroads and more
effective, because it would be hard
er to convict a union man before a