The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-08-27
RATES DROP,
SAYS ATTERBURY
Pennsy "GOing 10 Mat" With
Labor Board.
TALKS ON VOTE DISPUTE
--T.v G-SsiG~nr Declares Tasseneef
and Freight Rates Must Come Down
to Restore Normal Status.

Philadelphia. Aug. 27-Railroad pas
! senger and freight rates must be de-
| flated aS one of the steps necessary to
: bring the economic conditions of the
country back 10 normal, according to I
statement made by General W. w. At
, terburN. general manager of the Penn
sylvania railroad.
General Attcrbury submitted to ques-
tioning at Il conference in his private
office III Broad street station.
He explained that the Pennsylvania
! railroad was going to the mat with
the railroad labor board, and he want
ed the public to know exactly where
the Pennsylvania railroad stood.
"As the railroad labor board has
no authority to enforce its DEGREES:
except through force of public opin-
ion, said the general, I'VE are anxi-
: Gus To have the public correctly under
stand the situation.
The general railroad situation is
Improving" he said. but until the
try will not get back 10 normal; and
by detlation | mean Il reduction i'll
freight and passenger rates as well
as in everything else.
I'VE must remember it required tif-
teen years for the country to become
debated after the civil war. 1t will
not, however, require anything like
that much time in the present in
stance.
In brief. the situation as concerns
the railroads and the railroad Labor
board is this: The railroad labor board
has hard problems To solve and is
doing It's b"~r honestly 10 solve them.
II is however. Il 4ua>i-iudicial bnarn,
and it is trying To take over admin
iStrative ana executive functi"nS.
Nov what is happening is this:
The Pennsylvania railroad is going t"
the mai with the railroad labor board.
We believe the board has exceeded its
authority. We are going il alone.
There is no gentlemen'S agreement be
tween the railroads of the country for
the Pennsylvania To 70 ahead anO
make the fight and bear the hrunt. The
PENNSYLVANIA is acting on its own in-
tiative and the other roads are look
ing on.
"We want 10 find out exactly what
are the limitations of the authority of
the railroad labor board.
I'VE do not think the railroad III,
bor hoard has any right to tell us how
to run our. property. The railroad is
going right ahead and would iikessse
prove TO the railroad labor board that
its function is arbitration and not ad,
miniStration."
Concerning the attitude of the union
men in this controversy, General At
terbury Sald it was of course his hope
that they would not strike.
They have so little to strike for
he said They would not strike for
wages because the board decides wages,
and if the working conditions we put
into effect are unfair, they can go to
the labor board and have them chang
ed. We do not know whether they
would strike or not. You see, we dc
not come in contact with the leaders
who. unfortunately, would guide THEN
actions"
General Atterbury explained the
agreements with the four big brother
hoods would prevent them from strik-
ing in sympathy with any walkout OF
the shop-crafts employees.
General Atterbury said 10000 men
have been laid off since the war The
total number of employees during the
war under government management
was 279,O00. The highest number ot
employees before the war was 22O00i
AT the present time there are 10000
men and women in the c"mpany's em