The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-10-18
TO MEET THURSDAY
IN STRIKE PARLEY!'
The Railroad Row
in a Nutshell


An editorial by Henry Hunt Of Cincinnati and
former member Of the railroad labor board representing the pubc
NNHE public group on the railroad labor board has
made sound and reasonable suggestion basis
for preventing the threatened railroad strike 1t
is that the railroads Immediately reduce their freight
and passenger rates to give the public the benefit
of the cut of IL per cent ordered by the railroad
labor board in July; that the railroads after the re-
duced rates in effect file with the labor board pro-
ceedng for further reduction in wages if they believe
that reduction of cost of living and other factors de-
termining fair wages would justify such action.
II the railroads will do this the unions should
pend their strike order until the decision Of the board
on the railroads application for further wage reduction
is made
The course decided above consistent with law with
fairness and the public interest. state Of in
stead OF cooperation exists and has existed for long
time between the yailroad managers and the labor
unions That this stnte of existed is DUE believe,
to the bourbon attitude of few executives of powerful
railroads who have been able to control the action of
the executives whole. These obsessed
with the idea that il their duty both their prop
critics and to the country to break down labor
CARNATIONS.
PURSUANT to this obsession, these executives have
taken such action as to convince the labor leaders
that unless they resist now there is grave danger
that their organizations will be destroyed. The action
of the executives in February in asking the labor board
to arbitrarily reduce wages without warrant of law,
the Pennsylvania railroads disregard of the decision of
the labor board concerning the method of negotiating
railroad rules, of the Erie the ST. Louis South
western and other railroads in arbitrarily disobeyng
the law in reducing wages, among the unlawful
and bolshevstc acts which have given the labor lead
to believe the railroad managers will not
proceed in fair and lawful manner.
The public should make every effort to sustain the
transportation act and the of the labor board
II should bring such pressure the Pennsylvania rail-
road and other railroads which have violated the act
to compel them to obey it, If the railroads will
obey the decisions of the board the employees will also
obey them.
Railroad executives should be brought to see it is to
their interests well the pubcs to adopt policy
of cooperation instead of war. This is vet possible
Many railroad managers have accomplished it. but
they have not been able to control the boubons among
them The president, the secretary of commerce and
the attorney general could by securing conference with
both the bourbon and liberal railroad executives bring
about full compliance with the law by the railroads
The labor organizations would then withdraw their
strike order and await the processes of the railroad
labor board. =
Large economies still possible in railroad manage.
men The greatest economy would be the substitution
of cooperation for war.