Evening star., 1921-04-04
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.


Copyright. 1921. BY The vashinstsa staro
A storm center Of tho controversy
now waging between the railroads
and their employees is the so-ca1led
national agreements" Under these
agreements working conditions and
wages are standardized the country
over. The questions that arise are
with nationally" rather than by the
individual road with its particular
employees.
working conditions were made wnile
the roads were under federal control,
late in 1919 and during the early part
of 1920. The wages of the employees
were standardized when the rakeaA
administration issued order No. q in
Nay, 1918, which was supplemented
from time to time thereafter.
The railroad employees look upon
the national agreements as a great
step forward in obtaining the Justice
due them in the matter of working
conditions. They sometimes refer to
them as 'bill Of rights" OF railroad
labor.
Roads Den0unce Pacts.
The railroads, on the other hand.
through their executives. are de-
aouncing the national agreements as
the cause of tremendous waste In the
operation of the roads-estimated as
high as $300.00o.00O annually. They
argue that the conditions imposed in
these agreements compel the rail-
roads to pay for great deal OF time
that is not really used in work, and
also force the roads to employ more
men. The employees, on the other
hand, deny these charges, and bring
counter charges to the effect that the
railroad managements are inehcient
and wasteful
There are five Of the so-called ma
tiona1 agreements relating to work-
ing conditions entered into by the
railroad administration during the
period of federal operation of the
roads. The first was with the en-
ployes represented by the railway
employees department Of the American
Federation of Labor and Its animated
organizations of the mechanical sec
tion. The agreement was slgned sep
tember 20, 1919. by Walker ID. Hlnes'
director general of railroads. and rep
resentatives of the following organ
&xations: The International Associa,
tion of Machini--s. the International
ternational Brotherhood Of Black.
smiths, the Amalgamated Sheet Metal
Workers International Alliance ana
the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen
Sf America
Other Agreements.
The other national agreements
were between the railroad adminis-
tration and the United Br9sneInooo n,noss
,and Railway Shop Laborers, effective
December 16, 1919, between the rail-
road administration and the Brotner-
hood Of Railway and steamship
Clerks, Freight Handlers. Express
uary /. 1920: between the railroad
administration and the international
brotherhood of Firemen and oilers.
effective January is, 1920. and pc
tween the railroad administration
and the Brotherhood OF Railroad sig
nalmen of America, enectiVe
These agreements were continued
in force and effect after the roads
we're handed back to their private
owners by the government. MaIcn I;
1920. and, the United States Railroad
Labor Board in Chicago is now con-
Quoting hearings to determine
whether these agreements should be
retained or scrapped.
The developments OF the natlonai
agreement between Inc ioAiAOoS SN~N
the shop crafts as represented now
by the railway employees department
of the American Federation OF LABOR
A a matter of many years. AT nrst
agreements as to working conditions
were entered into by small groups IN
1.-THE various shops. These agreements
twere extended to cover larger groups.
and finally various classes OF em-
nloyes on railroads and railroad sys-
TENS. The International Association
of Machinists took a leading part IN
this development. Back in 1910 the
country was divided into four sec
tfons - the northeast, northwest
southwest and southeast - and In
February Of that year momentous
eonference was held by representa-
tfyes of the machinists in the SOUTH
west section and some nineteen roads.
II lasted for six weeks. There were
nine men on each side OF the CONFER
ence table.
Principles Followed Out.
While no definite agreement was
signed up, certain principles were
Iaid down which later were followed
out 1t il recalled today by repre-
sentatiyes Of the machinists' union
taking part in that conference that
the railroad executives insisted that
the general officers of the interna-
tional union be present-rather than
the conference be conducted by the
representatives Of individual roads.
This. they say. does not jibe with the
plea of the roads now that they be