Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-03-24
voiding Of the Compacts Is
Vital, Declares the
Official. i,
CLASHES WITH FRANK WALSH
Agreements Foisted on the Roads
Without Conference, the U. S.
Labor Board Is Told by Penn
sy's Vice President.

question before the American people
today more important than the ques-
tion of national agreements between
call executives and their employees,
Gen. W. W. Atterbury, vice president
Of the Pennsylvania lines, declared
IN the witness stand under the ques-
lionieg of Frank L. Walsh, general
counsel for the labor group.
The first clash between General At
.erbury and Mr.. Walsh came when
The Pennsylvania chief was questioned
regarding the dissolution OF the labor
committee of the Association OF Rail-,
road Executives.
"Who made the suggestion that the
abor committee be dissoived?" asked
Mr.. Walsh.
Il assume / did, replied General
Atterbury.
"WhyY
'srhe work of the labor committee
was finished and the matter was to
be continued by Mr.. Writers com
nittee."
WAS there any other reasonw.
asked Mr.. Walsh.
Atterbury Gets Sarcastic.
Then General Atterbury waxed sar-
vaStic.
Il had heard you and Mr.. Jewell
say In very long statements that the
railroads were organized to handle la
Dor Matters" he replied. "We,-were
in false situation and the sooner
We got out of 1t the better
when did you make up your mind
TO dissolve the labor committee?
II made up my mind shortly after
you and Mr.. Jewell said that the rail
roads We're organized nationally to
handle labor matters when | knew
they were not
what was the necessity of dissolv-i
ing the committee IL either Mr. Jewell
Or hads made false statement"
asked Mr.. Walsh.
with smile, iii II offended you was
willing to wipe it out"
In developing "a line on the power
axerted by 4. Dewitt Cuyer. chair
man of the Association of Rail Execu-
lives, Mr.. Walsh asked the witness II
Mr.. Cuyler selected the persons to
serve on the labor committee.
ut Just grew" said General After
Jury.
"Oh, just grew like Topsy2" asked
Mr.. Walsh.
Right" retorted General After
lnf a1n oil hat th.A
committee had been appointed by Mr..
Juyler.
When the letter describing the ac-
ion of the labor committee In recon-
nending the abrogation of national
reements was quoted General At
hlry declared: "The most impor-
AT thing before the country today Is
he wiping out of nati0nal agree
ments."
Asks Square Deal"
Following several yOlleys of rapid
Dire questions and answers, General
Atierbury read "A prepared statement
10 the board In which he made a plea
for a square DEAF from labor by
The sanction of the plan TO negotiate
directly with ones own employees.
In his statement General Atterbury
summarized the duty" of employees
70 their employers as follows
"lhe employee should not do the
following things: Undermine dscip-
line, limit, production, demand pay for
which there Is no equivalent pr0duc-
lion, nor force the CLOSED union shop
81 have no fight with organized HI
Dor aS SUCH" said General Atterbury.
II have every desire to see it's exist
ence healthy and normal My views
Is 10 what the employer has Il right TO
expect and TIE employer should strive
70 provide are as follows:
"As steady employment as posi-
Die. at a good wage; time for recrea-
don opportunity to elevate himself
IN his employment; voice In deter
mining the rules and regulations UNI
Ter which he Is to work and the right
to he or not to he n union man.
"But to apply these principles the
dog collar of national agreements
must be removed | have welcomed
the opportunity TO appear before your
BOARD 10 give testimony as TO the 'rea-
sohableness or unreasonabIeness of
the sO-called national agreements. No
more serious question cOnfronts the
American people today. We have
come to the parting of the ways.
zone road leads to government
ownership nationaiSm Plumb-plan-
ism and syndicalism-the other road
TO Industrial peace and the continual
tlon of that individual initiative. en-
ergy and responsibility which Is pc
culiarly American
"The issue Is in your hands. The
signboard on one road is National
Agreements ; the signboard on the 9TH
err road is Negotiate Directly With
Your Own Employees