Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-26
RAIL BOARD OPENS
INQUIRY TO LEARN
IF STRIKE Is LEGAL
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When the roll call was completed
late In tho morning. Chairman Earton
proceeded to read his statement ex-
planning the purpose Of the hearing.
Labor chiefs of the conductors. en-
gineers, trainmen. ewitchmen and
flremen. together with the flvc general
ctairmen OF the labor organizations
on each railroad appeared to answer
n summons under two sections OF the
transportation act. Railroad exccu-
tives from all the principal roads also
were present as the result OF request
by the board.
In citing the labor groups to appear
Chairman r.. M. Barton said In his
opening statement that the board war
.'principally moved by a threatened
interruption to commerce"
Chairman Barton made 1t plain that
the inquiry was being conducted en-
tirely on the initiative of the board
neither the railroads nor the employes
about to strike being concerned II
bringing the case before the fedora
railroad tribunal.
| "The inquiry" the chairman's state
ment said, "is based on two provisions
OF the transportation act. One which
provides when the board has reasor
to believe that any decision by th'
hoard has been violated by any car
rier or employe or subordinate ON
cial or organization thereof, 1t may OF
ito own motion, after due notice ant
hearing TO all persons directly inter
ested in such violation, determin
whether in Its opinion such violation
has occurred and make public It's de
cision In such matters as II may de
termine.
"The other, the emergency provision
which authorizes the board to &C
n when a dispute In likely TO substan
TALLY interrupt commerce.
"The board wishes all parties Z
thoroughly understand the limits o
this inquiry and conform thereto. In
Iauiry will be conducted wholly unde
the directions OF the board. The merit
OF the wage reduction decision, in op
position to which the employees ar
threatening to strike, or any other de
cision OF the board are not at thi
tise in the question and no decision ]
regard thereto will be in order. TIL
| question is simply. has there been
violation or Is one threatened7
"On the second subject of inauir
las TO what other causes exist that ar
: lcausIng or are likely TO cause an In
tsrruption of traffic the inquiry wi
he on what either side has done or
tdoina or threatening to do that ma
lead TO a stoppage of work and pal
tlcufarly. the nature of the exchang
OF proposals that occurred betwee
I | the railway executives and the exect
tlves of the labor organizations {
. their conference in Chicago, Octobs
tia, 1921, and what disputes are the os
: cssion OF the threatened interruptio
4 The board will further inquire as
! what, II any wage reductions hay
been made or are in contemplation /
= carriers without first securirg s the al
: p-oval OF this board in a legal way
{ Vice-C Chairman Ben w. Hooper, {
( head of the boards judiciary commi
e tee was placed I'm charge OF tie inquli
= on behalf OF the board.
John NJ. Glenn, secretary Of the ]
o llnois Manufacturers Association, Il
lqulred IL the chair desired the nam,
of shippers represented. Charms
. Barton replied that he did not unde
;. stand that any shippers had been sun
moned
h The Railroad Labor Board announ
ed that complaints over working CO
p fal A~f
ditional 10 per cent cut proposed
the roads could be considered.
Unless extended debate develo
n Unexpectedly. IL was said early toda
a the conference may be closed tonigl
.e Several OF the railroad executives he
l. for the meeting have booked reserv
Is tons out of Chicago for tonight. MAJ
L IL is understood hold that the co
IN troversy rs a dispute between 4
Z unions and the board over the IL p
cent wage cut OF July /, with whi
A. the executives are not directly co
DR. cerned.
y. IL was also rumored the brotherho
OF chiefs. unless a satisfactory settl
e. ment is reached by Thursday mig
will bolt the conference. go that IN,
general chairmen may return to tn
or homes TO take charge OF the stri
ed situation next Sunday morning.
at Examination OF the Labor Boar
d. statement forestalling further wa
.el proposals for a time, dia&losed tod
a. that some OF the unions now on /
verge OF walkout. would not be
et fected by this ruling. The conducto
e. Il is said, have no dispute before q
d. board on rules or working conditio
he so that wage proposals affecting tn
n would not be delayed by the boar
.rs ruling, and petitions for wage red
ug tions in their case could be taken
II at once. Others OF the rs ''standai
A. railroad unions are in the same DC
OF tion, also, Il was understood. q
ne shopmen. II IL said, have the great
number OF rules disputes on fiis.
At their case. and with some OF the OF
re- unions, the boards decision indlca
wage petitions could not be cons
rh cred before next March at the earli,
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