The New York herald., 1921-10-18
iuction of freight rates almost imme.

diately.
He also stated that all the persons
that he conferred with during the
day were hopeful that way would
be found to avert the strike.
"And that's the way ! feel" he
added. "The conviction Of the Ad-
ministration that there will be no
strike in spite Of the apparent deter
mination of both sides to fight to a
finish the issue of wage reduction
to something like a pre-war basis,
with a corresponding cut in freight
rates, is based on the opinion that
union labor knows its chances of
winning strike are slim. perhaps
worse than at any time in the his
tory of railroad labor difficulties in
the United States.
Not only is public sentiment over
whelmingly against strike now but
the Government under the pressure
Of public opinion would be forced TO
take sides against the unions. For
in moving the mail trains, furnishing
supplies to the cities by steamers,
motor trucks and airplanes and pro-
tecting life and property with the
Federal troops, the Government
would be doing everything in its
power to make the strike failure.
I'm similar controversies public SEN
timent has been divided, but to-day.
with the railroad workers receiving
wages higher on the average than
workers in any other industry and
refusing to accept a reduction when
the cost of living has fallen and every
body else is accepting wage cuts. the
public has shown unmistakable signs
OF being against the men who are
threatening to strike"
Steps were taken to-day which make
It certain in the opinion of Admins
tration officials that general railroad
strike will not cause actual suffering
to the public. although it may cause
some Inconvenience. Among these
steps are the following:
Within ten days after the strike
begins the Shipping Board is pre-
pared to put into operation $50 oil
burning vessels for coastwise and
river traffic to transport food and
other relief.
Thirty thousand large motor
trucks will be at once put into
operation by the War Department.
Preliminary instructions were is
sued to-day for this purpose.
Fast mail will be carried
throughout the country in posta,
and army aeroplanes.
Postmaster General Hays an
nounced that there would be mo
interference" with the mails. That
means the mail trains will be op-
Grated by Federal troops IL nee
essary.
Harding withholds Approval.
While President Harding is bending
every effort to induce both sides to ac-
cept adjudication by the labor board,
he has not given his approval Of the
plan announced by the three members
OF the public group of that board last
night. namely, that the railroads i'm
mediatcly translate the IL "a per cent
wage reduction decreed b. the board
Iasi ..uly into a CORRESPONDING freight
rate re,.uction. that tnc unions postpone
their strike and he railroads agree to
make no further wage cuts for the
present.
Mr.. Harding is glad to have this plan.
or any other. discussed and adopted. II
II will settle the trouble, but he Is care
fully refraining from any action which
will give the stamp of governmental
approval to q settlement other than
through the regular channels provided
ln the Transportation act
President Harding does not want to
resort to court action If this strike
ihould occur. He and the Cabinet
,nembers do not believe Injunction pro-
cocdings will do any good. 1t would
mean Jail sentences in the end. IL would
be impossible 10 put all of the strikers in
iril AID If only the leaders were jailed
II would doubtless merely add flames
70 The fire. as it did in the case of the
coal strike during the Wilson admins
tratlou.
Tvs NEW YORK HERALD correspondent
has icnrned that President Harding feels
very heenly on the question of the disre-
gard ~ the Labor Board. After long and
careful consideration by Congress and
after both the railroad executives and
crp'oy ecs were heard fully and their
views reconciled as nearly as possible.
the transportation act was passed and
The Labor Board created to adjudicate
wages and working conditions with the
crnsent OF both parties. The compulsory
arnif-a ton feature was stricken out OF
fnc bH. Tho act contains no penalties
a1f X cannot enforce it's findings.
The President feels that was at least
a step in advance. IL public sentiment
cannot compel the unions and the execu-
tives to call on this legal tribunal, ere
ntod for the sole purpose OF settling such
controversies, and compel both parties
10 abide by the outcome. he is OF the
opinion that the country will have taken
~ step backward toward the day when
forco and force alone controlled the af-
fairs of men.
That Is the reason the President does
not want to interfere and why he is
disposed to let the railroads and the
unions accept the board as mediator
or leave it and take the consequences
OF fighting IL out in the old way.
II has been estimated that the loss
in wages for the first J00.o 900 men who
are reported 20 be preparing to walk
out on October 80 will be s2,250.000 a
day and that thereafter the wage loss
will amount TO 1915 day for each
man on strike. The union leaders claim
that 1.t25.00O men will Join the strik-
ers by November @
That leaves out or account the wage
loss that will be suffered by men in