New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-01-10
edence of its scope has been disclosed,
he pOints out hv.

dence Of its scope has been disclosed,
he points out, by:
The wreck of the Interchurch World
Movement because it dared to advocate
collective bargaining in the United
States Steel Corporation, an organize
ton affiliated with j. ?. Morgan & Co.
Recent revelations before the Lock
wood committee in New York to the
effect that the United States and Beth
lehem Steel corporations refused to
furnish fabricated steel to construc-
ton companies in New York City en-
ploying members of labor unions.
Coal Situation Cited
The recent refusal of anthracite coal
companies controlled by Morgan &
Co. to grant complete union recogni-
ton to mine workers.
The present deplorable situation in
Mingo and Mcdowell counties, w. Va,
and in the Birmingham district in Ala
bama, where there has been a COM
plete breakdown of civil government,
due to the refusal of the coal and steel
companies, dominated by the United
States Steel Corporation, to grant to
the coal miners the right of collective
bargaining.
Mr.. Lauck points out in the petition
that the railroads, while proceeding
under a government guaranty Of fair
earnings, are assigning their repair
to private companies, which they are
diligently fostering as heavy money
makers. Since the public ultimately
pays the bill for the transportation in
dustry, he points out, this practice
means that the public is being looted
so that profitable returns may be real
lied for certain equipment companies
which are controlled by the same finan-
cial interests which control the rail-
roads.
Locomotive repair work when done in
these outside shops, the petition recites.
costs the railroads on an average
own shops. Repair work on locomotives,
which under ordinary circumstances
could be done in railroad shops at a
cost of from $4,000 to $4,000, amounts
to approximately $4,000 when done by
these private concerns. Since locomo-
tive repair work of the entire transport
tatlon system of the country amounts
annually to between $500,00O000 and
S600,000,000, the effect would be to bur-
den the general public with an excess
and unwarranted charge Of at least
S5O0,000,000 year.
The same condition, it is alleged, ex-
lsts with respect to freight car repair
work. More than $4,000 freight cars
OF various types already have been as
signed for repair. The excess paid by
the railroads for the repair Of these cars
by private companies amounts to at
least 5000 car. If the Glass carriers
alone would have their repairs done by
outside companies ON this basis of ex-
ttort1onate charges, then the companies
bill for repair of freight cars alone
would be increased $250,0OO, 900 a year.
Although conceding that the Inter
state Commerce Commission has no
jurisdiction in labor case, the petit
ton sets forth that an investigation is
imperative to prevent railroad COM
panies from taking funds paid by the
public for effective transportation ma
chinery and using them illegitimatel
and indefensibly "for the purpose Of
disrupt.ng organizations of railway
employees which received govern
mental sanction and commentator
during the war;
Asking for an immediate investiga-
ton and hearing, the machinists de-
clare they are ready to subm t further
facts of these abuses and suggest rem
edles for their cessation. In general
it is recommended that the commission
prohibit railroad companies from as
signing repair work to outside COM
panies unless under specific perms-
sion of the comm ssion.