Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-29
R. RS UNY|ELDING
TO NATIONAL PACTS
Will Continue to Fight Against
Their Continuance, Whittier
Asserts
TRADES COUNCIL SPEAKER

The railroads will continue to resist
my attempt to continue the national
agreements. l.. r. Whittier declared this
afternoon in an address before the
Trades Council of the Manufacturers
Club.
Mr.. Whittier is chairman of the Con =
ference Committee of managers of the
railroads. and was their chief spokes-
man in the case against the national
agreements befort tine United States
Railroad Labor Board. lie is assist =
ant to the vice president in charge OF
personnel Of the Pcnnsylvnnid Railroad.
Mr.. Whittier declared IN" "dog col -
Lar Of the national agreements was
'HtiI; around the railroads. neck in
ypitr of tic Labor Boards decision. "
Reduction in payrolls AID ordered abrn-
CATION of the agreements do not make
it Immediately possible to lower freight
rates. the speaker saId. because tho
agreements must be superseded by MI .
tdalir satisfactory agreements between
the railroads and the men. Reduction
in wages, Mr.. Whittier said, was re
sorted TO only after everything else had
been done consistent with safety to
s|ve money on operating costs.
The speaker declared the national
agreements had been framed with the
aid of -four men who hod been closely
affiliated with union labor Organiza =
tiOns,' none n whom chad any rail
road managerial experience in any ca
pacity, higher than roundhousc fore
man."
Mr.. Whittier said he feared ncgotia :
tion of new schedules between the rail =
roads and the men would prove difficult
because the mems organizations are be
licved to be constituting the sixteen
principles (cnunciated by the Labor
Board last ApriD as a recognition OF
the national agreements.
The railroads will resist any at
tempt to so cOnstrue these principles
the speaker declared. He deprecated
what he said was the spirit among men
engcndcred by governmental control
"Whcn Mr.. McAdOo took charge he
virtually told railroad employees of this
country that henCcforth their allegiance
was to the Government and not to the
corporations for whom they wOrkpd.'
The greatest problem today, the
speaker said. is to restore the old spirit
"PriOr to Federal control the Penn
sylvnnia Railroad had no schedules OF
agreements with any of its employees
~ III lH' IL llIl W. anu II p'l wv
of the tclegraphcrs, and even with these
organizations with which we did have
schedules, the management dealt di-
rcctly with their own employees. That Is
what we want again to re-cstablish, on,
old mutual relationship.
The wages of 73 per cent of all en-.
ploycs were standardized under the ma
tional agreements. the speaker said
thereby making it necessary to pay thu
INDECENT and the incompetent the same
rates as were paid the efficient and am,
bilious employee
The adjustment of piece work. thu
speaker said. is costing the Pcnnsyl
vania Railroad S1J. 900 900 year.
Mr.. Whittier denied the Pennsylvania
Railroads. plan Of dealing directly witt
its employees is meant for the purpose o
disrupting the unions. "Wc have alb
solutely no quarrel with the unions. )
he said. Tho speaker urged that al
business men give the railroads heart!
support in their fight against the agree
mcntS.