Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-02
RAILROAD WAGE
|. DISPUTE PUT Up
To LABOR BOARD
Negotiations Between Con-
ference Committees Rep
resenting Railways and
Unions Are Broken OFT.

Washington, April Wage me-
gotiations between the conferences
committee representing the rail-
road and the unions were broken
off tonight, when the railroad rep
resentatives declined to continue
consideration of demands which
have been estimated to total one bill
lion dollars, unless the public was
given a voice in the proceedings
Under provisions of the trans
portation act, the wage controversy
now will be referred to the railroad
labor board, which is yet to be ap-
pointed by President Wilson, The
law provides for three representa-
tives of the public on this board,
e. r. Whittier, chairman of the
railway executive conference COM
mi,tee, announced the decision IN
a statement which said the two
sides were in disagreement as TO
the provisions of the transportation
act. The union representatives
we're said to hold that the law con-
templated an agreement between
the railroads and the employees
prior to any opportunity for par
ticipation by the representatives of
the public.
The railroad committeeman held
that such an agreement might pe
reached but they did not beleVe
that congress ever contemplated
that a controversy involving so
great an addition TO transportation
costs and in which the pubic Is
therefore so vitality Interested
should be disposed of by direct ne
gotiation.' J..
Mr.. Writers statement said in
part; -,,
THE representatives of the rail-
roads take the position that they
could not assume the responsibility
of adding such a burden to the
costs of transportation. which are
necessarily borne by the puphc,
without the full knowledge ana
consent of the public, through lls
representatives and that they must,
therefore, decline the requests ana
let the entire matter be disposed
of as provided in the transporta-
ton act.
This means that the contro-
versv must be submitted to the
railroad labor board to be appoint
ed by the president. in accordance
with the terms of the law. on
which the public will have three
representatives. the employees three
and the railroad managements
three. We invited the committee
representing the employees TO JON
with us in the formation of a com
mittee to prepare data on the Varl-
Gus aspects of the subject when
we feel must ultimately be present
ed to the labor board in any event
with a view to expediting the DIS
position of this difficult problem
They declined to join with us in
the formation of such a committee
They have announced their lnten-
ton of appealing TO the lapof
board"
In support of the position taken
nv the conference committee that
congress did not intend a large IN
crease in transportation costs
should be made without consent Oh
the public, Mr.. Whittier quoted sec
ton 307 of the transportation act
giving the labor board power 10
suspend a wage agreement likely
to require substantial readjustmen,,
Of freight rates, He also pointed
out that the law enjoins the con-
currence of one member of the
public group on the labor board IN
any important case to make a de-
cision effective.
At the office of b. M. Jewell,
chairman of the railway employees
conference. it was said the unions
had no comment to make in rup-
ture of the wage negotiations, but
that Mr.. Jewell might make a
statement tomorrow.