The Washington herald., 1921-02-19
RAILROAD LABOR
HEADS PROPOSE
JOINT "CONFAB"
Offer Plan to Board for
Solution of All Pend
ing Issues.
JEWELL SPOKESMAN
Declares They Do Not Seek
To Maintain Conditions
Unjust to Companies.
SPOKESMAN

CHICAGO, Feb. s. - Immediate
settlement of all railway wage con-
troversies outstanding before the
United States Railway Board by a
Joint conference OF railroad repre-
sentatives and labor representatives
TO De held at the earliest possible
moment was urged before the board
in statement by B. NJ. Jewell, pres
ident of the railway employees de-
partment of the American Fedora
tion of Labor. Jewell's statement
presented in rebuttal to the claims
of W. w. Atterbury, vice president
of the Pennsylvania lines, that the
country faces a national crisis un-
less the national wage agreements
are abrogated. also recommended
that the Railway Labor Board pass
Immediately upon any difference OF
opinian which might arise from the
conference.
Jewell recommended also that the
board request Atterbury to with
hold his amounted presentation of
a Hood of individual complaints
until the conference could be ar
ranged "in order that existing gen
eral agreements may not be i'm
paired and that the matter can he
brought to the board in the form
of single complaint"
Labor BIames Roads,
The labor representatives put the
delay in arriving at final de-
cision in the controversy up to the
railroads in stating that IF the
carriers had obeyed the law and
met the employees in national con-
terence or Joined with them in es-
taoiishing boards of adjustment all
delay could have been avoided"
Jewels Objects.
Mr.. Jewell declared that his nro-
posals were made with the follow
ing objects in view:
L. To insist upon the Fundamental
principle of collective BARGAINING
which is now the real issue before
the board in lending cases.
2. To expedite these cases. which
otherwise will absorb a vast amount
of time and effort
3. To restrain the railroads from
preventing proper functioning and
destroying the effectiveness of the
board by flooding it with a large
number OF individual complaints
which it cannot handle"
Mr.. Jewell made il clear that the
unions are not fighting for the main
tenance of working rules that work
financial injustice to the railroads.
We do not wish to perpetuate
any unreasonable rules or working
conditions" he asserted. We do
not wish to cause the railroads un-
reasonable expense. We shall not
now advocate and never have sup
ported any rules that do this"
Charges Propaganda.
Charging that the railroads ar.
conducting a strong propaganda to
influence the boards decision. the
labor spokesman protested against
outside Interference. citing resoIu-
tions which had been received bv
the board from chambers OF com
merce and other commercial and
civic organizations.
We consider such efforts as gross
and :nconceivable improprieties. "
Jewell declared. This board Is the
supreme court of relations between
employees and managements in the
transportation management" Scor-
ing the railroads managements' un-
Willingness to negotiate on a ma
tional scale, Jewell said:
BY centralizing their own bar
gaining power and decentralizing
OF the unions they hope to weaken
the unions by attacking and crush
ing the local organizations, espe-
cially those which recently have
been formed"