Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-12
MISUNDERSTANDING 10 1922
" ISSUES OF RAILWAY STRIKE.

2
portation is due, according to the
brotherhoods, to radicals among
F.. the employees who desire to carry
: ., on the idea of one great union and
disrupt the unit organizations
through which many advantages
in pay and working hours have
1 been attained.
! The press of the country has
been accused of being the enemy
of the unions whenever warning
has been sounded against radical
ra leaders of an inflammable union
~ element that becomes too optimis-
tic and confident under persuasion
n'"and misrepresentation as to the
measure of concessions that can be
secured by irregular action. The
press has never made stronger ac-
& ~ cusation against radical leaders
than was printed few days ago.
in signed sttement by the heads
ssof the brotherhoods who are for
proceeding in accordance with the
new law of congress to secure adj
justments through the federal la
,zaibor board in which the employees
the public and the railway mama
gers will participate, membership
being balanced between them.
The brotherhood officials say
that radicals seized upon the dis
charge of a switchman as a pre-
text for strike without authority
and only later made claim to be
striking for wage adjustment, the
h.r,1A Ia
brotherhood units and assist in the
-. zone great union" scheme.
The brotherhood of Engineers, !
MA Railway Tranmen, Firemen and |
Enginemen and the Switchmen's !
Union of North America pledged !
PM their support to railroad officers /
in breaking the Walkout and to that |
end union railroad men through |
out the country were urged to re-
port to Chicago to serve as strike
breakers.
Railway managers announce that
only the regular brOtherhoods will |
be recognized in negotiations and |
labor contract agreements. Direct |
ly after the new transportation |
law was passed the managers of
the lines held that vast increases
should not he made that would in |
volve extensive raise of freight and |
passenger rates by the interstate
commerce committee. without first
submitting wage claims to the la |
Dor board. Because of the immense |
sum-said to be not less than ST. !
5000, 000-that would be added |
to the cost of railroad operations
by the pay-increase demands of
railroad workers, representatives of
the carriers notified the employees
April that questions at issue must
go before the labor board, provided |
for in the transportation act, on
which the public will be repre-
scented.
This action was taken by the |
railway executives conference COM |
mittee, which has been in direct
negotiations since March 10 with
: representatives of various organi- |
cations of employees.
In a communication to the chair
man of the employees conference
committee, announcing this dect- |
u sion, r. II. Whittier chairman of
a the railway executives conference
= committee, said:
"A very conservative estimate
shows a total of the yearly amount
of the demands of more than ST.
000,000,000 This estimate is based
only on the requested changes in |
the rates of pay and no attempt
has been made to estimate the cost
of changes in rules which would
5sh further materially increase the to-
am tai. Consideration of your requests
-. -. and the bases upon which they are
~ predicated have convinced our con-
ference that there is no intermedi-
>-->ate ground which could be reached
shat in itself would not represent
an aggregate sum so great as to be
X. beyond the possibility of our
~, reaching a settlement.
"a "To study all angles Of the sub
- ject exhaustively would require a
M long time, and notwithstanding any
points which might develop in your
~ favor the railroads could not ass
sumo the responsibility Of adding
xs such a burden TO the costs of trans
III .portation, excepting with full
knowledge and consent of the pub !
&c Tic through its representatives, and
we must, therefore. decline to grant
your requests. and let the matter
be disposed of as provided for in
the transportation act"
A statement accompanying a
copy of this letter adds that the
action of the executives
--- means that the controversy mustI
be submitted to the railroad labor
board 70 be appointed by the pres
ident in accordance with the terms