The New York herald., 1921-03-14
EACH SIDE TO BACK
UP IN RAIL FIGHT
Both Ready for Concessions, Is
Belief-Labor Leaders Don't
Fear General Strike.
GOMPERS is BRACING MEN
Meeting of Workers Called
Neither Roads Nor Men in
Financial Shape for Fight.

Ine American FeueTdllOl Ol LdboI,
on behalf Of its affiliations that will be
affected by the pruaing of wages by
the railroads, purposes opening
counter barage of statistical and moral
propaganda in which will be seen the
arguments the employee will make to
the United States Railroad Labor Board
when the problem is put before that
tribunal.
The labor side of the controversy is
scheduled to appear this week. Just
what the programme Of the A. F. of l..
consists of is problematical, but it is
not unlikely that mass meetings and
a series of revivals will be held in New
York and elsewhere to educate the
public and brace up tagging spirits
within the ranks of the affected
workers.
Samuel Gompers, president Of the
federation, has been in New York for
several days and. with the exception
of one day and night when he spoke
at Harvard. has devoted the bulk of
his waking hours to conferences with
local leaders of railroad unions. He
has found some Generalization within
union circles, not because the men are
any less loyal to their leaders. nor less
jealous in their opposition to wage
cutting and the open shop, but be-
work for such a protracted period
that many of these are reaching the
stage where work of some sort at
whatever wage is imperative.
Unless sentiment within labor ranks
changes considerably the likelihood OF
anything approximating general rail-
road strike is most remote. according
to local leaders. First OF all. the men
appear to have wholehearted faith in
the predictions OF Glenn Plumb and
others that the labor board will not per-
init the railroads to revert their various
wage scales to those that obtained i'm
mediately preceding the rise granted
by the board on July 20, 1920.
Marine Workers Are Doubtful.
The marine workers employed by the
railroads declare that the railroads can
not prove to them that business Is so
bad that either wages or payrolls must
be curtailed In the Park place head
quarters Of the Allied Marine Workers
they say that Henry Fords pronounce
ment that conditions are picking up is
the whole truth and that facts fail to
back the statement by the Erie Railroad
that the refusal OF the labor board to
countenance the wage cut II proposed
must be equalized by a 30 per cent. de-
crease in working personnel
After listening to random observations
by both labor leaders and railroad
executives II appears that some such
situation az this exists.
Both sides are willing to 90 far and
make some concessions to avoid an i'm
passe that makes a strike an alternative
10 complete surrender. The labor men
say that II the financial condition Of the
railroads Is 50 bad as the managers say
the men will, IL actuated by no other
motive than that Of self-preservation
concedc certain figures 10 the railroads
and possibly agree to small cut in
pay Ga cut not so large. however. as the
railroads seek to impose). But. they
add. the railroads will have lot OF
proving to do.
On the other hand the railroad Off
cials fear doing that which will make
a strike certainty because the already
embarrassing condition OF railroad
treasures cannot stand the enormous
losses a strike entails. There are rail-
road managements particularly the
smaller fellows) who fear that bank
ruptcy hints will mean added strength TO
the continuous agitation for Govern
ment ownership OF roads, and these men
realize that should the Government be
compelled 10 take over the roads they
will never hand them back, or. putting
II another way. will have nobody 70
hand them back 10.
some Sec Plumb PLAN Era N~nr.
Then too, there appears 10 be that
type or labor leader Who looks forward
with some satisfa ction to q possible situ-
alton where the Government VIII have 70
take \ hand In the management and
financing OF the roads. lie, of course
Is Of the Plumb plan element There are
any number OF labor leaders who assure
one that tie present situation is the
dawn Of Plumb plan era.
And along the same line Of reasoning
Continued on Fifteenth Page.
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