The Washington herald., 1920-06-25
LABOR BOARD
IGNORES PLEA
TO SPEED UP"
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
message had heen received from
Chicago was made at the White
House yesterday. but neither the
text nor the general tenor OF the
communication was raadc public.
The Presidents request, which was
sent to the board on Monday, how
ever. was made public. Addressed
to Robert Barton. chairman OF the
board, tie message of the Presi-
dent Is as follows:
Text of Telegram.
Reports placed before lie show
transportation situation hourly
growing nero dIfficult, and am
wondering whether II would not be
possible for your board to announce
a decision with reference to the
pending urgent matters. At loast,
would it not be POSSIBLE for your
board, if it has reached no final
conclusions relative to these vital
matters, tentatively to agree upon
a settlement, or even a partial set
.tlement?"
Failure of the White House to
give out the reply of the board
was taken here as an Indication that
the members of the body are not
inclined to make a temporary award
to satisfy the unauthorized strikers,
or be rushed to an ill-considefed
decision by the paniccy attitude of
the government and officials of the
railroad labor organizations.
Board is Permanent Body.
The Railroad Labor Board, it was
pointed out here yesterday. was ap-
pointed under the new transporta-
tion act, and is a permanent body
designed to pass final judgment on
all railroad labor disputes. The nine
members are appointed for a term
of years, with the responsibility for
satisfactory settlement of disputes
placed squarely on their shoulders.
Their duty. under the sch-Cummins
act, is three-faced-
to the public, the railroad manage
ments and the railroad employees.
The pending demands of the rail-
road labor organizations, which, il
granted. would amount to more than
81. 900, 100000 in pay increases for
the 100000 railroad employees. were
presented to the newly organized
board only two months ago. Since
then the board has been holding
hearings and studying the same sit
uation which confronted the rail-
road administration during the
period of government control of the
railroads for more than a year with
out action on the part of President
Wilson or Walker d. Hines, his Di-
rector General.
Saving Wood, Is Belief.
The continued silence Of the board
in the face of the outcry of the rail-
road brotherhood leaders that the
railroad workers were getting be-
yond control and the insistence of
the President that the decision be
hurried or some makeshift decision
be reached to appease the men tenn
porarily, indicates that the MEM
bers are saving wood and will an.
nounce their award as soon as its
terms can be properly completed.
The recent statement of G. w. w.
Hanger. one of the members of the
board representing the public. that
any decision would be retroactive to
May /, was taken to mean that the
board would deal squarely by the
men. but there is little or no indica-
ton that the total demand for
81, 900. 100000 increases will be
granted.
Donk Is Pessimistic.
w. N. Doak, vice president Of the
Brotherhood of Railway Tralnmen.
who was instrumental in inducing
the President to ask the board to
hurry action. left Washington for
Chicago yesterday convinced that
the present outlaw" strike would
spread IL a decision was not forth
coming.
with a favorable decision from
the Railroad Labor Board, the men
now out will go back to work at
once" said Mr.. Doak, without de-
fining what he meant by a favorable
decision.
public Ledger Seryice.)