The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-09-24
STRIKE VOTES
DEFERRED THE
PENNSYLVANIA
(By Charles NJ. Kelley

dissuadcd officials of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad from putting into ef-
feet a previously issued order abro-
eating the national agreement and
re-establishing the iniquitous piece
work system The matter is to be
presented to the Transportation Wage
Board for review.
In its recent wage award the
Transportation Board continued unim-
paired all agreements made during
the period Of federal control Of rail
roads between the government and
the employees organizations. 1t was
specifically stated that all conditions
of labor should be respected until the
board directed otherwise, after hear
ings had been had on questions at
issue.
But the Pennsylvania Railroad,
which found federal control irksome
and was with difficulty forced to
respect government authority even
when the nation faced q great crisis,
is not disposed to yield any Of its
prerogatives to anybody, govern
Iment -constituted or otherwise. When
President Samuel Rea was precipi-
lately fired from the presidency of
the company and the arbitrary meth
DDS of lesser officials were curbed by
| the strong arm of the government,
they developed a bitterness against
administrative agencies and their
own officials that time has not ap-
|peased. All are looking for the
Eight to the finish" which is to de-
termine whether the employees of that
corporation are to enjoy the breath
of freedom accorded them by the
government or are to be returned to
a state of near-serfdom which is
most appealing to the Pennsylvania's
lautocratic management.
General Manager Elisha Lee, in a
recent statement, declared that piece
work is the correct principle OF en-
Iployment and should be adopted
wherever practicable. Vice-President
j W. w. Atterbury sustains this posi-
ton and recently warned members
Of the Chambers of Commerce that
! continuation Ct the federal agreement
would perpetuate the closed shop and
would lead to "the naturalization
of great industry
! The attitude Of the corporation is
thus clearly defined by two of its
foremost operating officials. 1t is
mot believed that they will respect
Iany decision adverse OF their wishes
that may be awarded by the trans
! rortation board. They are looking
| for a fight, and it is assumed that
they have the moral if not the active
support of other railroad corpora
, tions and big business generally.
The workers, while preferring the
ways Of peace, are not minded to
,tamely submit to the cancellation of
conditions that have improved their
material and spiritual status, and so
indicated in the strike votes referred
to. Officers of the several shop
crafts have been instructed to en-
ploy the most extreme methods to
prevent the reinstatement of the in
defensible piece-work system. An
important officer of the International
Association of Machinists announces
that the men will never sumbit to
this reactionary proposal and that
there will be a universal strike if the
company does not definitely abandon
its announced intention.
Labor More Efficient
Officials of the Pennsylvania de-
clare that labor output has decreased
as a result of the application of the
hourrate system. Statistics are
cited that are intended to bolster up
their contention. But these figures,
prepared by officers of the corpora
ton, like many other presentations
for public consumption, prove that
liars are able to make truthful fig
ures give false testimony.
In his final report of the operation
of the railroads during the twenty
eight months period Of federal con-
F. troll. Transportation Director Walker
D. Hines declared that the equated
number of hours of railroad workers
during the year 1919 decreased .002
per cent. In comparison with the
. equated hours of 1916, when the
piece-work system was in full bloom.
The railroad companies, in other
words, paid for less hours for a
greatly increased volume of business.
The government found that railroad
workers were not only loyal and eff
ficient, but that its humane policies
were sustained by sound business re-
suits.
The attacks of the Pennsylvania on
! the hour-rate system has deeper
meaning that is vouchsafed by its
officials. They regard this as the
point of attack against trade union
ism that offers them greater chance
for success. The public, badly or
wrongly informed by the press, would
not understand the real issue involved
and might reasonably be expected to
accept the sophisticated arguments
| Of corporation spokesman as justify
ing a course that actually sought to
destroy the organizations that have
been carefully builded up by the
workers, that they mighty enjoy the
right of collective bargaining and
have adequate defense against unfair
and arbitrary treatment.
For many years prior to the in
tervention Of the government the
Pennsylvania and other eastern rail
> roads successfully resisted the efforts
, Of unions to organize workers en-
gagged in other than transportation
service. Organizers were bounded
and denied the rights theoretically
enjoyed by American citizens. Ir
[ Pennsylvania the guarantees of free
| dom of speech and assembly were
suspended for a number of years
The Pennsylvania sent it's own thugs
to manhandle labor leaders, anC
crowned its record Of infamy wher
it secured the murder of Organizer
Gallagher, Of the Boilermakers' In.
telnational Union, for no other rea.
son that he sought to make mer
/ free.
If the cnrnnratinn was readv and