The Washington times., 1921-01-26

WARPAY PACT
Uniform Wage Scale Under Fire.
Labor Faces Loss Of Its
Greatest Concession.
BY w. II. ATKINS,
Internatlsnai News Service.

ss~A~oss~.ss AsS"S
Railroad labor today faced the
possible loss of some Of the biggest
concessions gained from the carriers
in a quarter century. The chal.
lenge was given by the rail execu.
tives, that the workers must sur.
render advantages covered by the
so-called national agreements
made during the war.
WAR AGREEMENTS ATTACKED.
Agreements now under attack, in
conferences with the Railroad Labor
Board. were sanctioned by the Rail
road Administration. But the rail
executives. almost a year after return
Of the roads to private control. today
placed themselves solidly on record
as opposed to continuing them, and
the assertion was made that they
must go the way Of other war meas
'urcs.
Concerted moves by the rail ex-
ccutives to abolish. or at least radio
ally modify, the existing agreements
on the score that reasons for which
they were promulgated no longer
exist, come at n time when the rail-
roads are united In a nationwide cf-
fort to reduce operating forces to the
minimum consistent with safety of
operation. Leading spokesmen for
the railroads, summing up their OPP
position to the agreements. charge
that the rules under which members
Of the various shop crafts are now
working. results In "extortion" of
large sums of money from the rail-
roads, for labor which is not per
formed.
The railway employees, who seek to
pcrpctuate these agreements, include
the shopmen, maintenance of way en-
pioyes. firemen and oilers, and signal
men. Organized labor is solldly op-
posed to any notifications in the
existing agreements, contendtng that
they have bettered working conditions
of the laborers.
SEEK OWN AGREEMENTS.
held by the railroads to involve
great money losses for them, are in
danger of being literally wiped of
the books, was seen in the latest move
of the carriers to have the railroad
labor board approve of a new system
of separate agreements between car
riers and workmen. President Rea of
the Pennsylvania; President willard,
OF the Baltimore and Ohio, and other
executives were said to favor the
method of individual railways having
agreements with their own men re-
garding working and other condi-
tions. On behalf OF the railroads, 1t
was emphasized before the board,
that the separate agreements between
the roads and the principal rail ser
vice crafts, which have been in effect
many years, have operated success
fully, and with benefit to the work
men.
Briefs submitted on behalf of the
railroads, assailing the national
agreements" set forth that they were
entered into with the understanding
that they were justified only during
the emergency conditions" growing
out of the war. The conditions
which warranted the many rules
thereby set up have passed, the roads
contend.
Organized labor, deriving benefits
from the agreements. are making
ready to defend the agreements, and
aided by able counsel, are planning a
stiff fight to save them. The rail-
roads assertion that the rules set up
as war measures, should be abolished
or amended materially, brings forth
from the ranks OF labor the answer
that labor is unwilling to go back
ward, and will fight the proposed
changes