The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1921-10-20
HAS LOST ITS POWERS
In the Present Impending Rail-
way Strike the Lack of In
huence of the Labor Board
has been Felt, the Admins
tration Regrets this and
Would Restore Power.
(By David Lawrence).
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily


Times.)
Washington, Oct. president
Harding has determined to make the
U. S. Railroad Board so important
that when it hands down a decision
saying either side in a controversy is
wrong, the full weight of public opin-
ion will bring the necessary pressure
to bear to compel obedience to the
mandate of the Board
This was the original idea of Con
gres in creating the Railroad Labor
Board and the first challenge to the
lpower of the Board has developed.
Executive influence has saved what
might otherwise have been a steady
collapse of the whole structure erect
led by Congress. Mr. Harding has
made it clear that he wants the Rail-
way Labor Board to go ahead and
call both sides to task
Mr. Harding's course will un-
Iquestionably prevent strike for
neither the railroads nor the labor
| leaders would be able to compete sue
cessfully against a formal decision as
to who was right or wrong. Both
sides privately will admit that.
The President feels that the U. S..
Railroad Labor Board should act
i sternly with any organization which
flouts it's decisions. He approves of
the summons sent to the railroad
brotherhood chiefs to come to Chi
lcago to talk things over informally
and make it clear that he wishes the
Board will also call in promptly Of
ficials of the Pennsylvania Railroad
who recently defied the decision of
the Board.
Mr. Harding believes the Railway
Labor Board will succeed only if it
plays fair with both sides and that it
must be just as ready to chastise a
big institution like the Pennsylvania
railroad as a railway union. Mr..
Mr.. Harding isn't showing any par
tiality to either side-he isn't act
ually interfering in the details OF
the controversy. He keeps on point
ing out that Congress has created the
Labor Board to settle disputes and
, that both sides must toe the mark
land obey that board. Mr.. Harding has
confidence in the integrity and homes
ty and fair-mindedness of the Board
!, and believes public opinion will fol
low it's decisions.
? The Railway brotherhood chief.
: called a strike in advance of deci
: sion by the Board. They took actor
Y largely because the railroad announc
ed that they would seek second Gu
s ] in wages. But there's vast differ
ence between a request for cut ant
: the actual granting of the same. Mr.
4 Harding feels that the calling of ;
r strike is largely a misunderstanding.
la fear of something that may o
6 may not materialize. The Presiden
: is confident that when the Labo
: Board formally calls upon each sid
s to behave, there will be no NOR
e f1outing of the authority of the Rail
way Board. The labor chiefs hav
O been watching to see whether tn
e Labor Board had any real power be
hind it. When they saw the Pennsyl
" vania Railroad ignore the decision
of the Board, they were prompted t
y do likewise. The remedy for the 81,
1Iuation in the opinion of the Admin:
p tration is to get back to Fundamental
le to make both sides respect tn
rt Board If that isn't accomplished
chaos comes once more Into the raj
.r way problem and no improvemeI
will have been made over the stu;
ton in 1916 when the Adamson la
was forced through Congress to ave
ht a strike. But with the Railway Lab'
d-i Board made equal in importance
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