Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-02-05
RAILROAD PLEbI5
HELD Up BY BOARD
Managers Told to Agree Win
Men on Cut OF Wages.
WORKERS APPEAL TO Wusns
Officials of the Six Railway LAIN.
Unions Call on President 10 Hsv.
Rail Managers Claims Prob..
by Congress.

Chicago, Feb. Refusal tt.bol,ss
the national agreements and ~
duee the wages OF railroad emp.orsss
by the United States labor board y.ss
forecast when Chairman Il. N Bs-,c-
declined TO receive a request to thar
effect. made by w. W. Atterbgrv f..
the Railroad Executives associatIop
The plan of the railroads Was "a
reduce wages Of common l8bor .,
once and cut wages of other e1DnIovess
after 80 days.
Chairman Barton asked Mr.. After.
bury if it were not possible for the
railroad executives and the emDloyeas
10 get together in a spirit Of belnfrl.
ness and not in antagonism and WORK
out basis for the board to act upoa.
Mr.. Atterbury declared that the ST.
uatlon is so acute and there is sneh
a radical difference Of opinion he.
tween the two sides that such a coD.
ference would not bring eqy relief
Basis of Wage Relief.
Chairman Barton said that when tie
board made its wage award The "a.
tional agreements We're the basis up0b
which the award was made.
He again declared that the two par.
ties should first get together and wors
earnestly for q mutual solution Fiua
ly he declined TO receive the request
of the railroads and said HAT q fo-.
NAL decision whether or not 10 receive
1t would be made after an executive
session OF the board.
Mr.. Atterbury was given a hearing
at the opening Of the days session Of
the board. and he made a formal plea
that the present hearing on working
conditions be discontinued. that tie
national agreements be abolished az
once, and that basis be given Tor
all ultimate reduction in wages.
Henry Hunt, representing the pub
lie on the railway labor board. de-
clared when Mr.. Atterbury finished
The transportation act requires q
conference should be held on any sub
ject likely 10 interrupt. service.
think you should take up in confer
ence with the employees the coud.-
lions you have presented here" lie
said.
a. @. Wharton. labor member Of the
labor board. demanded that Mr.. Alter
bury put on record the names Of tie
railroads that were behind him and
state upon what authority he acted in
asking for the annulment of the Ia
tional agreements.
Opposes Wage Reductions,
Violent opposition 10 wage reduc-
tons on the part Of railroad workers
who are expected TO take a firm stand
against giving up any privileges gained
| during federal control. was voiced By
j. c. Luhrsen, president Of the AMER
lean Train Dispatchers' association.
He advocates national control Of all
railroads in a statement issued after
Air. Atterbury's presentation.
"A single ownership in some form
and unified operation of all United
States carriers" he declared, us tie
only logical outcome OF the trausPoF-
tation problems of America.
The employees of the railroads q
America viii not submit to bearing lie
burden which the carriers seek to IA
pose on them.
The great effort now being made
to reduce operating expenses is all G.
rected against the workers. Tie whole
American railway system is extraF@-
gantly operated and the public IS
asked to pay the bill"
L. ". Jewell, president Of the raj
road employees department Of tHs
American Federation Of Labor >sa.
a telegram 10 President Wilson, chaf--
Ing that General Atterbury had ia;
only violated all decent pTopriety eE
his ultimatum to the labor board. but
| had disregarded the Transportation
laws and fiouted existing age--.7s'
such as the interstate commerce tt4'
mission, which have been created eA-
pressly by congress TO deal wl;h tie
financial requirements and proper cp-
Grafton of the railroads.
lie called upon the President 20 31'F
the railroad executives place their FF'
idence Of inability to operate the ran
roads before the interstate commerce
commission. If it is found TO he true
he asked the President 10 refer iLs
matter TO congress.
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