Evening star., 1921-04-18
UNIONS URGE MORE
j! TIME FOR EVIDENCE
Fight Labor Board limita'
ton and Demand Delay
in Wage Hearing.
By the Associated Press.

III WdYc NcdIut
By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, April 1S-The Railroad
Labor Board today decided to pro-
ceed Immediately with the consoli-
dated hearing into requests of
ninety-seven railroads for wage re-
ductions, denying the unions plea
for a postponement until the ap-
poinsment of three new members
named by President Harding is con-
fr,red by the Senate. The board
ruled it was within the law in pro-
oeecing with a majority of its
members present.
CHICAGO, April ls.-Charges of ir-
regularity in docketing wage cases be-
fore the Railroad Labor Board were
coupled by labor representatives with
a strenuous protest against limiting the
length of presentation of evidence in
the consolidated wage reduction hear
ing. which convenes today. Labor
union heads appeared with a solid
front in an endeavor to foreStall the
;sction of railroads all over the country.
nnety-Seven of which had flooded the
board with disputes when the case was
called this morning.
Ask Delay in Hearing.
I.abors first move was to request adj
jeurnment of the hearing until full
board should be present. The terms
of three members expired last week.
and President Harding's new ap-
pointees have not Yet been confirmed
by the Senate. In addition, Albert
Phillips. labor member. has been called
to California by the serious illness of his
wife. leaving but five members on the
board.
The new members of the board nomi
mated by the President are Walter l..
McMenimen of Massachusetts, repre-
sent:ng labor: Samuel Higgins of New
York. representing the railroads. and
Ben Hooper of Tennessee, representing
tie public.
A second request was made by heads
of union and independent employees or
ganizations alike. all Of the labor repre-
sentatives entering protest against the
eight-hour limit of testimony recently
Set by the board in an effort TO ex-
pedite the hearing.
Scores Limitation Plan.
Such limitation was the most radical
departure from recognized practice ever
pronounced by judicial body, declared
W S. Carter. head of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Firemen and Engine
men.
"The real significance of the present
endeavors Of railroads to obtain reduce
tions.'' said B. NJ. Jewell. president of
the railway employees department of
the American Federation of Labor. was
That the railroads were attempting to
take advantage of temporary depres-
sion, adding permanently to profits and
own inadequacies OF management"
A third request that the trans
portation group. Including the four
big brotherhoods and the switchmen.
be given a separate hearing was made
by L. E. Sheppard. president of the
board took all three requests under
advisement and following adjourn
ment of the hearing went into ex-
ecutlVe session to make it's decision
Only FIVE of the fourteen cases Af-
fecting engineers docketed had been
presented to the Brotherhood Of Loco
motive Engineers, Warren s. Stone,
president, declared.
Declares CertiAeation Not Lexal.
II do not believe these certifcations
are legal and proper" Mr.. Stone as
serted Some roads called in men
perfunctorily on Saturday asked them
If they would accept a reduction and
their dispute by wire. These confer
ences were not according to the trans-
port act.
This matter Of wages is vital, and be-
fore the destinies Of $1,000 engineers are
decided We want all the time necessary
cannot agree with the railroads that an
emergency exists at this time which
calls for such hasty action
Mr.. Carter also urged an extension of
time. saying that the railroads would
have much data to present and that the
consider the manasements' evidence and
prepare a fair reply.
The railroads, however. were on hand.
prepared to proceed Immediately. Their
case was In the hands Of John G. Walber
Of the Pennsylvania. who explained that
they had outlined their case 20 that it
could be presented within the eight
hours. He emphasized the need for i'm
mediate action. declaring that wage in
creases had always been made retro
active. but this was impossible in the
case OF reductions.
Mr.. Walber charged that IF the
employees on the roads had been
free to deal with the managements, no
dispute would be before the board"
This accusation brought sharp re-
plies from union heads who declared
they would show that all union men
had been instructed to confer with
railroad officials.
Strike Echo Crops Out.
An echo of the yardmen's strike
OF last year cropped out in the middle
of the hearing when John Grunau,
former leader of the sporadic strikes
and now head of the association of
Railway Employees of North America,
attempted to speak in favor of ex-
tending the eight-hour time limit for
argument. His right to appear before
the board Immediately was CHALLENGED
by w. G. Lee Of the trainmen's union.
Chairman Barton stopping Mr. Grunau
amid charges and denials of the legal
1ty OF Mr.: Grunaus organization, but
allowed him to proceed when the
secretary cited the name of the as
socfation on the docket.
b. A. Worthington Of the Cincin.
natl. Indianapolis and Western inter-
Jected protest against any delay in
the hearing. declaring that his road
was facing an $4,000 monthly deficit
Employees had been called in, he said.
but had refused to discuss wages or
working conditions. saying they had
no authority TO do SO.
Outlines Coming Evidence.
The railroads urgency brought
lengthy reply from Mr. Jewell. who
outlined the evidence employees will
employees. he said. would show:
That for twenty years preceding
fhc war period. surplus earnings had
been absorbed by the issue of ficti-
fious securities or dissipated through
financial mismanagement'
MAKES APPEAL TO I. c. c.
Walsh Flags Practice Of Outside
Railroad Repair Work.