The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1921-10-07

Board On the contrary, the entlre
thirty days has been consumed by the
carrier in the active promulgation Of
propaganda, at an enormous expense
to its stockholders, in which the is
sues involved in this controversy have
been mis.stated and the action and
position of the Railroad Labor Board
grossly misrepresentsds AS the end
Of the thirty days granted by the
Board approached, the carrier filed its
application to the Board to vacate
and set aside Decision No. 21S. In
this application the carrier says, in ef-
feet, end in its outside propaganda in
express words, that 1t will not abide
by the Decision of the Board in this
matter, unless said decision sets the
seal of its approval on the carriers
conduct.
The open attacks of the carrier on
the Labor Board and on the law which
created 1t, shall, in no wise, affect
the Board in its effort to give calm
and just consideration to the carriers
petition because matters Of great mo-
ment to the public and to the carriers
are involved.
The position Of the carrier practic-
ally was that 1t had the sole right to
proceed in its own way in the election
of the delegates who were to repre-
sent the employees, that it, and it
alone, had the right to prescribe the
plans and conduct. the proceedings
and be the sole judge of the results;
and that any judgment, opinion, direc-
tion or regulation by the board was
an uncalled for and unauthorized in
reference with the prerogatives Of
the carrier. The mere statement OF
it's position would seem to carry its
own answer. 1t must be evident to
every one that If this practice should
prevail, there would be no real confer.
ence, no liberty of action left to the
employees, and that there could be no
real negotiation and settlement of
matters in dispute.
The Board endeavored to prescribe
a plan and method that would fairly
obtain and accurately express the
wishes of the majority of the EN-.
ployes of this class. This decision the
carrier rejects and refuses to abide
by, and arrogates to itself the sole
function and power to decide these
matters. II majority of this class
of employees on this road has an alb.
solute right under the law to select
their own epresentatives-and this
Is the clearly expressed will of Con-
gress-this board 1t its proceedings
and decisions must obey the mandate
of Congress. II the carrier refuses, 1t
| is an attack not 30 much on this board
as on Congress. 1t is nothing more
or less than a denial and reputation
of the sovereign will Of the United
States as expressed by Congress.
If the members of any class wish to
join union they have that right. II
they desire to remain out or leave
such union at any time, they have
that right. II they or majority Of
any class want a Union or its officers
to represent them, they have that
right. II they, whether union men or
not, want other individuals to repre-.
sent them they have tina right. Meth.
er this Board nor the management of
the Pennsylvania System has the right
by any kind OF plan or movement to
dictate as to who shall be their repre-
sentatives. Any attempt to do so Is
an unauthorized assumption of pow
err
"The labor board owes it's existence
to the Transportation Act of Congress
1920, which act was fought by the Or
ganized employees, as they did not
think 1t was a good law. The carriers
were responsible for the law being
put on our statute books, and they are
now refusing to abide by the decisions
OF the labor board, an agency set up
by the Transportation Act. AS stated
by the labor board In the quotations
from their recent announcement, the
management of the Pennsylvania are
spending enormous amounts for pro
paganda intended to mislead the pub
lie as to the real issues in the con
troversy. We would ask that this
fact be kept In mind when reading
any articles bearing on the question
The controversy between the man
agement and the employees on tn,
Pennsylvania System is not as to thu
acceptance of the twelve per cent re
duction, but Is as to whether or no
employees Of the Pennsylvania ar,
free to exercise the rights granted
them by the government OF the Unite,
States.
, Yours Truly,
LOCAL FEDERATED SHOP CRAFT!
I~fp nAI