The New York herald., 1921-02-24
EMPLOYEES PROTEST
u. S. RAIL PAYMENTS
Guarantee Rights First, They
Wire President.

CHICAGO, Feb. ga protest against
the Winslow Townsend bill. which would
allow the Government to make partial
payments to the railways of money due
them under the terms of the guarantee
given during Federal control, was tele-
Il. NJ. Jewell. president of the railway
employees department of the American
Federation of Labor.
The bill was passed in the Senate yes
terday after being favorably acted upon
in the House. and now goes TO the Presi-
dent for his signature.
The message charged that the roads
under a threat of a complete break
down Of the transportation industry"
are undertaking Ito levy a tribute OF
hundreds of millions of dollars on the
Treasury of the United States" and
adds that I'VE insist that the railroad
owners shall not be permitted to enjoy
the financial benefits of the Transporta-
ton act and of this proposed amend
ment until they have demonstrated their
Willingness to guarantee the human
rights of their workers"
In his message Mr. Jewell said:
I'VE have through orderly procedure
conference with railroad executives as
they are organized nationally to meet
with the employees as they are organ
lied nationally to create adjustment
boards as provided by law and to settle
matters in dispute.
But the executives have declined to
meet us in general conference. They
hope to disintegrate our organizations
by limiting the right of collective bar
gaining to an unfair and unequal basis.
Hoping'to secure a return to the unjust
and unreasonable working conditions
which prevailed before the war they
wish to pit the consolidated power OF
their compact national organizations
against the employees Of single craft
on single railroad.
I'm pursuing this course the executives
are clearly violating the transportation
act, which aimed to prevent interruption
Of traffic by protecting just and reason
able conditions through the provision for
conferences.
"As we have clearly demonstrated be-
fore the United States Railroad Labor
Board the underlying principle followed
by the men who framed the transporta-
tion act was that only by guaranteeing
collective bargaining through the recog-
nized organizations OF the employees
cOuld tnosc just ana TcaSOnaDle CCnUl-
tions be assured.
I'm attacking this principle tho rail-
roads are attacking labor's one basic
guarantee under the ac:. At the same
time, through the Winsow-Townsend
bill they seek TO force the country to a
hasty settlement of one Of the many
guarantees to management.
I'VE accepted the transportation act
under protest but are endeavoring to
comply with II in all good faith and
honesty. We have asked nothing that
is not clearly written In the law. We
believe in equality before the law and
we insist, therefore. that the railroad
owners shall not be permitted to enjoy
the financial benefits Of the law and OF
this proposed amendment unless and
until they have demonstrated their will
ingness to obey those provisions. which
are intended to guarantee the human
rights Of the workers. II is our solemn
belief that the financial oligarchy which
controls the railroads is. In Its present
policy, menace to our entire economic
structure and our political institutions
and we submit that IL Is intolerable that
the interests and welfare Of all the
people should be jeopardized in order
that favored few may get exactly
what they want on their own terms"