The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1920-01-09
BOARD OF APPEAL
FOR RAILROADS
Body Would Represent Neither
Roads Nor Labor Unions.
Decision Would Be Final.
QUICK ACTION is EXPECTED.
Date Selected for the Return Of the
Railroads by the President Is
Most Pleasing to the Rail-
road Executives.

Washington-Th notice by the
President that the railroads were to be
returned to their owners on March i
insures an early settlement of the rail-
road legislation now in conference be-
tween the two houses of Congress.
The Cummins bill and the Esch bill
are wide apart, and the effort to recon-
cile them might have gone on = for
months but for word that the end Of
February will see the end of govern
ment operation Except for the labor
group, every comment has been ap-
plauding, and already compromise
On the anti-strike provision, the biggest
stumbling block in the path of railroad
legislation, is being discussed.
The house is violently opposed to
the anti-strike feature of the Cummins
bill, which in effect prevents railroad
employees from leaving their employ
ment in a body without becoming liza
BILE to punishment for conspiracy to
prevent free transportation facilities.
The compromise suggestion proposes
the creation of an impartial board of
ultimate appeal. This body would rep
resent neither the railroads nor the
labor unions. Its membership would
comprise men not affiliated with either
faction to any possible dispute that
might arise for settlement.
The highest tribunal would take up
and consider any and all controversies
arising between transportation en-
ployers and their men. After due in
vestigation and deliberation 1t would
render a final decision on each dispute
placed before it. In so doing it would
serve as an appellant body and review
the facts and circumstances as pre-
sented, to it by those involved in the
controversy. &%
The conclusions reached by this tri-
bunal would be enforceable only TO
this extent: Any employee Of nil-
road company who quits work in viola
ton of any decree rendered by the ap-
pellant tribunal shall not be given en-
ployment by any railroad for period
of four months.
In fact the employee would be black
listed. but the period of punishment
would be limited to four months. He
would not be liable to criminal prose
cution, as provided in the Cummins
bill, nor to any other form OF punish
ment beyond the prohibition against
employment by some railroad other
than the one whose service he left IN
defiance of an order issued by the re-
viewing body. ..-.-
1t is also provided in this compro,
mise plan that the highest tribunal
shall not review the case or issue a
decree that may involve blackltstins
until after all other processes have
been exhausted. These would include
the usual forms of mediation and con-
ciliation, as now arranged under ex'
listing methods of settling differences
between employers and their men
When all of these methods Of adjust
ing differences have proved futile the
board of ultimate appeal and settle
ment may take the matter up and reach
a conclusion.
The date selected for the return
of the roads by the President is most
pleasing to the railroad executives, &C,
cording to Alfred P. Thorn, general
counsel for the Railway Executives
Advisory Committee.