New-York tribune., 1920-08-18
Railway Executive
Scores Labor for
Attitude to Roads
Says Companies Are Being
Robbed of Benefits of
Transportation Act by
Opposition of the Unions

Edward +. LOOMS, president of the
Lehigh Valley Railroad, in an inter
view yesterday, declared that the roads
are being robbed Of some of the bene-
fits of the Esch-Cummins act by the
new policy of the organized railroad
workers. Mr.. Loomis is member of
the Labor Committee of the Associ-
alton of Railroad Executives, and his
views are looked upon as fairly repre-
sentative OF the managerial viewpoint.
The transportation act of 1920"
Mr.. LOOMS explained, 'afforded
great help. 1t offered an opportunity
to decentralize the railroads and place
the operation of the lines in the gen
eral Offices of each system rather than
in Washington, restoring all of the
personal initiative which goes with the
realization that work consistently we'll
done is going to result in greater op-
portunity for promotion and increased
pay.
Union leaders oppose this, however
and are urging national agreements,
the establishment of national board
of adjustment for the handling of
grievances and perpetuation of the
countrywide standardization of work
ing conditions which obtained during
government cOnCrOl.
This wholesale Standardization
probably is convenient for the leaders,
but in many cases it is unfair
to the rank and file of workers, and
experience reveals that it already has
been the cause of much justified dis
satisfaction. For example, in the
Southwest working conditions cannot
be identical with those of the con-
gested manufacturing centers of the
East Different ways of living, the
variance Of costs of food, fuel, cloth
ing and shelter and the operating
methods of railroads so widely sep
arated, must be considered if justice
X to prevail.
IN short, wholesale standardization
would strike q death blow at the CEN
trallzation intended under the trans
portation act, and the railroads would
be robbed of the home rule necessary
to the maintenance of efficiency and
proper discipline"
Situation Complicated
After referring to the popular
notion that the success Of the opera
ton OF the roads is up to the man
ayers, Mr.. Loomis said: The situation
Is complicated by conditions which be-
came possible during government con-
troll. Under the United States Railroad
Administration the various crafts en-
geged IN railroad work affiliated in a
closely knit organization which enabled
their leaders to exercise great infu-
ence at Washington ana to obtain
among other things: Standardized
wages and working conditions for the
whole country; Capitalization of dis
olpllne enforcement in the hands of
q board located at Washington, and
abolition Of piece work
ri
ways have opposed these ideas as con-
trary to efficient operation and good
discipline.
"In the mean time requests for in
creased wages to which practically
All classes of employees were entitled
because of the high cost of liying)
were not acted upon by the railroad
administration, but were left to the
Labor Board created under the trans
portation act. While this situation OBJ
tanned part Of the railroad workers.
as whole body of upright American
citizens of which the nation may be
proud became the prey of unscrupu-
ious agltators. The result was the out
law strikes of last spring, from which
some roads have not as yet fully re-
covered.
Complaint of Labor
The award of the Labor Board, gem
orally satisfactory, has answered the
one serious complaint Of labor. The
splendid esprit de corps of American
railroad men, however, still staggers
from the body blows it has received.
Fortunately. the effect of these blows
is wearing off and a sincere effort upon
the part of railroad managers to build
up the old-time feeling of loyalty to
their lines is producing results.
"A great opportunity for ambitious
workmen themselves to build up
morale within the rank and file would
lie in the restoration of the piece
work system, the basis of shop enl-
cheney before government control.
While it prevailed the man who had
energy and ability had strong IN
centlve to conscientious labor 1t
brought him increased earnings over
the lazy and inefficient worker. Aban-
donment of piece work by the rail
road administration placed these two
men on the same plane. The incentive
of the ambitious, active worker was
killed; no matter how hard he strovc
he could earn no more than the in
different and inefficient fellow at the
next machine.
fortunately, under our American
system of education, the number Of
ambitious workers with brains must
grow. and it is unlikely they will rest
content to remain on the same basis
with mere time servers. The coming
Of the time when they will make them
selves felt in the union organizations
means much to railroad efficiency"
------------------e