Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-10-25
GIVE LABOR BOARD a CHANCE

It sometimes takes drastic measures to focus public at
tention on a matter. This we believe to be the situation in
the present railroad crisis. Strike or no strike a public con-
science will have been awakened.
Both sides in this controversy must realize that a great
deal more than their own particular interests is at stake.
Why has the government enacted so many laws for the regu-
lation of public utilities such as railroads, trolley lines, gas,
coal and electric companies and not taken the same action
in regard to the various forms of industries OF a more private
nature? Because in the ordinary industries the public is not
directly concerned. Building trades and factory employees
may quit work if they choose and, except for isolated cases,
the public is not greatly affected one way or the other. But
with the matter of transportation or fuel, upon which every
industry and, in fact, life itself depends, it is entirely differ
emf. Employees in such lines of work assume an entirely diff
ferent responsibility.
Because of this difference in the relationship to the
public generally, the government has seen fit to take the
steps it has. This effort on the part of the government TO
protect the public and, at the same time, endeavor to assure
a square deal for employer and employe is now on trial. The
Railroad Labor Board is the most important public attempt
to adjust the differences between the employer and employe
in the interest of all concerned that has yet been made.
Some of the railroad heads have been inclined to dis
pute the authority of the labor board, ignoring its rulings,
/ and a test case is to be made. Such things cannot be
Ntraightened out in a day or a week. The authority and pow
en- of this Railroad Labor Board has got to be established
through a process of rulings and decisions, just as the au-
thority of the United States supreme court had to be estab-
lished in the early days of this republic when individual
states were extremely jealous of their sovereign rights
The plea now is to give the Railroad Labor Board a
chance. But while the power and authority OF the board Is
being established the railroads must be kept running. rms
labor board is made up of just as many representatives ior
-1he employees as it is of representatives for the employers.
n, addition. the public also has representation on the board
edual to either of the other two groups. There is every
reason TO believe, therefore, that, if given time, a fair ADJUST
ment will be made of all disputes.
When the railroad management dehes the board, now
ever and a test case is to be made, the public is not so
much alarmed because there is no threat on the part Oh ue
management to tie up transportation pending the DECISION
Whatever the outcome, the management keeps the railroads
running. If the employees will assume the same attitude
while giving the labor board a chance to show what II can
do, the feeling that now exists toward the men because they
threaten to throw the entire country into confusion would
disappear.
Just as the supreme court of the United States, the au-
thority of which was sharply challenged in the beginning,
has gradually established itself in our system OF government
for the benefit of all, so will the Railroad Labor Board es-
lablish its authority for the good of all if given a chance
Tbe one essential thing now is to have the patience to give
il the chance.