Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1920-03-01
APOLLO THEATRE WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY

I 18th instant, I shall at once request
the carriers and the employees TO
join in this action. believe such a
step will go FAR toward clarifying
and maturing the subject for final
disposition. In fact. the sort Of
board thus contemplated by section
301 appears to be an appropriate
| substitute for the committee Of eX-
perts which | have heretofore sug-
/ gested. and indeed, such a board
will be authorized to so further
than such a committee could have
gone.
While it is true that the provis-
ions of Section 307 of the railroad
bill relating to the labor board will
probably also come into operation
as to this wage matter, nevertheless
The bipartisan board can make Z
great deal Of progress which VII
materially diminish the time to be
consumed by the labor board au1
while the bipartisan board is func-
tioning, the appointment and ORGAN
ization of the laboor aboard can be
expedited.
81 cannot share the apprehension
Of yourselves and yoir constituents
as to the provisions Of the law con
corning the labor board. believe
those provisions are not only appro-
pirate in the interest Of the pUbll",
which, after all, is principally com
posed Of workers and their iamll-
les, but will be found to be particu-
lar.y In the interests Of the railroad
employees as class.
The argument that he pubic
representatives on the labor board
will be prejudiccd against labor be.
cause drawn from classes Of soci.
ely antagonistc To labor, can and
ought to be overcome by selecting
such public representatives as can.
not be charged with such prejud-
ices Nor do anticipate that the
public representatives will be asl.
inst increases because they Involve
rate increases. Not only must pub.
lie representatives be selected who
can be relied upon to do Justice but
the bin itself provides that the la
Dor board shall establish rates and
wages and salaries which is the op-
inion Of the board are Just and
reasonable and 1t is further provid-
ed that the entire labor board
shall be guided by the very import.
ant standards which are provided
in the law, those standards ineluI.
ing the wages paid for similar
kinds Of work in other industries.
the relation between wages and the
cost OF living, the hazards of the
employment, the training and skin
required, the degree Of responsible
'ty, the character and irregularity
Of the employment, and the correc-
ton of inequalities as the result Of
previous adjustments. Coupled with
the direction to the labor board 70
take into consideration these i'm.
portant standards Is the highly I'M
portsnt direction to the commission
to prescribe rates sufficient to adj
nit of the payment of the reason
able operating expenses, including
OF course, fair rates Of wages.
Hopes For New Era
Ny hopes are that the putting
into effect Of these provisions with
q carefully selected labor board
whose public representatives can be
relied upon to be fair to labor and
to appreciate the point of view of
labor that tt is not longer to be cen
sidered as a mere commodity, Will
mark the beginning Of new era Of
better understanding between the
railroad homogeneous and their EN-.
ployes. and Will furnish additional
safeguards to the Just interest of
railroad labor
Il am sure thai every agency
which viii be involved in the crea-
ton Of the labor board and in the