The Washington herald., 1920-04-11
Drastic Action
ByGouerr1nent
Seems Remote
White House Gives No Indi-
cation of Decision to
Name Board.
LAWS MEET EMERGENCY
Cummins Says President
Does Nothing While
Rome Burns.
LAWS MEET EMERGENCY
BY ROBERT T. BARRY.


There is no prospect for any
immediate action by the Federal
government to break the outlaw"
railroad strike.
The White House gave no in
dication yesterday of decision 10
name the Railroad Wage Board
for consideration of the wage de-
mands.
Department of Justice officials,
after ordering United States dis
trict attorneys to institute in
quiries as to strike conditions Il
their respective districts. said
nothing further would be doul IN,
til those reports were receiysa.
The Senate Committee o. Ia-
terstate Commerce, instructrd, Dx
unanimous vote. OF the S, aass
to Investigate the causes OF the
strike, is marking time.
Have Legal Authority.
Federal officials admitted they
had ample authority in law to act
against the strike leaders.
The powers of the Lever act. gov
erning interference with the trans
portation and distribution of neces-
saries of life, remain in effect. In
addition. there is the general power
to prevent interference with the
United States mails, once invoked
by President Cleveland.
The statement by A. Mitchell PAL
mer, Attorney General. In Savannah,
to the effect that nothing will be
done until there is a careful in
quiry to ascertain the exact facts
of the situation" and his reference
of the entire matter to Judge c. B.
Ames, assistant to the Attorney
General, was taken to indicate that
several days must elapse before that
department acted.
Cummins Blames President.
Senator Albert B. Cummins, of
Iowa, chairman of the Interstate
Commerce Committee, declared the
utterly inexplicable and indefensi-
BILE" nonaction by President Wilson
in the matter of naming the wage
board to hear the demands Of the
workers was responsible for the sit
uation.
"The President does nothing while
Rome In burning" MIR. Cummins
said. "whiIe the President does
nothing, the country drifts 10, the
edge OF a very active volcano"
The Senate inquiry was urged by
Senator Medill Mccormick. of Ilh-
nois, to develop whether the fail
ure of the President to act rela-
tive to naming the wage board
was the true cause of the strike.
Senator Cummins acknowledged
there are numerous difficulties
standing in the way of the in
Quiry.
Oppose "OutIaw- Recognition.
Foremost among these is that di
rect information as to the causes
of the strike would best pe OBJ
tained from the rebel" leaders OF
the railroad workers. To summon
those men to Washington, instead
of the officers of the brotherhoods,
would, it is argued. constitute .
de facto recognition of the outlaw
rule and a reputation of the duly
elected officers.
Mr. Cummins said he had beea
in telegraphic communication with
W. G. Lee, chief OF the Brother
hood Of Trainmen. and w. S. Car
ter, chief of the Brotherhood Of
Firemen and Enginemen. He would
not make public their messages,
but said that they were getting
better hold on the situation.
The brotherhood leaders were
understood to have protested
against the calling of the
rebel" chiefs to Washington,
contending that such a course
by the Senate committee would
weaken the hold of the duly
elected officers on the men.
Senator Cummins was conf
dent that the brotherhood
chiefs would be able to bring
about marked improvement In
the situation within the next
forty-eight hours.
Hines Given Demands.
IL have been hoping for three
would act speedily to name the labor
board authorized by the transporta-
tion act" Mr.. Cummins said. The
n