Arizona republican., 1921-03-22
ATTERbURY SAYS NATIONAL RULES.
 OFFER MEANS TO
 EXTRACT MONEY .FROM RAILROADS
Former Chairman of Rail Executives Declares in Favor of Direct Negotia-. ton With Employees
[RcpubIican A. p. Leased wirel


 CHICAGO March 21.-W. W. Alter bury. vice president of the Pennsylva- nla railroad and former chairman of the railway executives labor commit lee. took an emphatic stand against national agreements which ne termed prolific of misunderstandings in q heated cross examination before the railroad labor board today Ques- tioning by F. F. Walsh, counsel for the unions, brought vigorous replies from Mir. Atterbury and time and again the witness answered by cross questions. Charges that the union leaders did not really represent the employees and that national rules were used to procure employment for more men and extract money from the rail- roads on technicalities were made by -he witness
 The gist of Mr. Atterbury's testi- mony follows:
 Rules should be negotiated between road officials and tbeir employees across the conference table like a game of poker
 The eightrhou day could not be universally applied to all employees, especially train service men, because the Lord didnt Build railroads that way.
 Establishment of the hourly basis of shop work has destroyed the energy and initiative of shop employees, and abolition of piece work would be the most dreadful thing that could hap pen to rsilroad employees"
 National Rule "Dog Collar"
 Satiunal rules constituted dog coraR around the neck of the rail- ro~<l& who would be free to negotiate their own rules with their own em- p5oyes the minute the board cuts the dog collar"
 The reference to the dog collar was taken General Atterbury explained, fFcfn a cartoon in a union bulletin. He t~xhibited the cartoon which showed a <~suiall dog. labeled Railroads, with a collar labeled National Agreements. and led by labor. The dog was made 10 say, The collar doesn't fit.' and the caption said, But we'll make it fit
 Two chargessagainst union officials were made by the witness. He de- clared that, although the national agreements had the object of employ ing more men, he was "a better friend Of my men than any union men at this table The declaration brought from Mir Walsh a query whether MT. Alter bury represented section hands.
 NO. but you do not Those mer are not represented here" was the reply
 MT. Atterbury demanded that tho
 
 defined. MT. Walsh said he thought the ordinary meaning Of words applied This brought a quick retort from ths witness:
 Yes. but when it comes to devisins means and methods of getting money out of rule,. you gentlemen are th' most expert of any l know"
 These rules appear clear to me, Mir. Walsh said.
 That's because you don't know any thing about them the witness replied
 Favor Direct Conference
 Mir Atterbury maintained that n rules could be negotiated which woul' have national application and de clared the only satisfactory way agreeing on rules was by direct con ference.
 Mir. Atterbury said that he had al ways been able to negotiate with hi employees but that the national agree ments had placed a dog collar on tn roads and that it was impossible t confer with the Pennsylvania ein ploves because of interference Of unlo offirials. He read from several Amer ira, Federation of Labor bulletin: which. he said. throttled the employe' Mir Atterbury read q statemen which declared that the American peo pie had reached the parting ot tn vays.@%
 .sNo more serious question confront us today" he said, -one road leads government ownership. nationallzatiol Plumb planism and syndlcallsi the other road 10 1ndustrif ncace and the continuation or tns irdivjdual energy and responsibiht, The sirnboard on one road is 'nation' sareements,' on the other road 'nego tate directly with your empioyes-
 General Atter-bury declared he Ina a <irbt with organized labor as sue and said that within ''reasonabl Die m m ,ts If is his purpose to bring about ia conditions" He enumerated SIX poir ,,hscb he said the employe had a rlsi exnect and the employer should pr' .o 9aa As steady employment as po' sible: a good wage; time for 31, reche' Iee1f ton: opportunity to eienaie i H.t,sr11 daterrni, ms eie -,,ies and regulations under whl' ,.s worked; the right to be, or not be. a union man