The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-03-18
RAIL HEADS
QUESTIONED
AT HEARING
Frank Walsh, Attorney for
Labor Unions, Seeks To
Prove Roads Are lnsincere
in Dealings.
PRINCIPLES LAID DOWN
(By Associated Press)

CHICAGO, March 18.-Cross exam
ination Of high railroad officials by
labor leaders began today before the
railroad labor board T. Dewitt Guy
Ter, chairman of the railroad execu-
tives' association, Robert S. Binkerd,
his assistant. Carl Gray. president of
the Union Pacific, and w. w. After
bury, vice-president Of the Pennsy
lines, appeared at today's hearing, In
response to the requests issued by the
board at the demand of the labor
side.
Frank Walsh, attorney for the labor
union, conducted the cross examina-
ton. announced that he planned to
bring out evidence which would prove
the roads had not been sincere in their
dealings with the union on the ma
tlonal agreements question and that
the matter could have really been
settled with a conference without COM
ing to the labor board
Warns Representatives.
Judge r. M. Barton, chairman of the
board, requested both sides to confine
their statements to relevant matter
and said that questions dealing with
financial control of the road or with
matter which belong to the Interstate
commerce commission would not be
permitted. Mr.. Binkerd was the first
witness called to the stand.
Eleven basic principles satisfactory
to labor and on which labor would be
willing to negotiate agreements, were
laid down before the board today by
b. M. Jewell, president of the railway
employees department of the American
Federation of Labor.
These fundamentals, upon which
the national agreements are based
consist only of those elementary prin-
ciples and safeguards which enlighten-
ed public opinion has sanctioned and
officially declared necessary to the
we'll being of the men and women en-
ployed not only in the transportation
industry, but in all basic industries"
Mr.. Jewell said
Pending Since January.
Arguments upon the proposal of the
railroad executives to abspgate the ma
tional agreements has occupied the
attention of the board since Jan. 21,
| when the request was submitted by ".
w. Atterbury. vice-president of the
Pennsylvania railroad
The fundamentals which are the
| basis of the national agreement are as
The eight-hour day; proper over
time rates for work in excess of eight
hours; arrangement of working shifts
for reasonable living ARRANGEMENTS by
employees and their families; reason
able rules for the protection of health
and safety of employees; definition of
| the work OF each. craft to be per-
| formed by mechanics and helpers:
formulation OF apprenticeship rules:
-FOUR years apprenticeship requirement
Tor mechanics; right of the majority
| of each craft to determine what or
| ganization shall represent them; right
to select committee to handle grley-
ances; limiting Of craft seniority to 10
/ cal shops and not permitting inter
change of seniority with other shops
or crafts. and right to organize with
out discrimination.
Necessary Principles
! "If machinery is to be successfully
established for the peaceable settle
ment Of disputes" said Mr.. Jewell.
these fundamental principles are an
absolutely necessary preliminary.
I'VE have no doubt that the railroad
labor board will sanction these funda-
mantals. We know the public will
support them when 1t really knows the
truth. Our reason for summarizing
these fundamentals at this time Is to
demonstrate how easy 1t would have
been had the railroads been sincere,
to meet with those who have been Sc
lected and instructed by the rank and
/ file Of railroad employees to adjust the
whole matter Of national agreements.
! We'll rounded and smooth running
machinery would now be In operation
and peace on railroads and good will
between management and employees
would prevail where now exists grow
ing distrust, dissension, dissatisfac-
tion and increasing rumblings of
fast approaching, costly and vicious
conflict. Even now if the representa-
tives Of the railroads were sincere in
their attitude and not engaged in
misguided attack upon railroad en-
/ ployes, all questions as to national
agreements and national adjustment
boards could be quickly settled"