The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-03
OBJECTIONS LAID
 BEFORE BOARD BY !. ROADS, COMMITTEE
Decision on Request for Imme- diate Abrogation of National Working Agreements Fri
 day Indicated
By Associated Press


 rules governing numerous smaller classes of employees were laid before the railroad labor board today in detail by E. T. Whiter chairman of the car riers committee. MT. Winter, IS nearing the close of a four weeks stretch of testimony, and expects to conclude presentation of his evidence tomorrow
 The railroad testimony will be 'n- terrupted long enough probably to- morrow, however to permit a rebuttai statement by the employees to the de claration of Brig Gen. W. w. Alter bury representing the American As sociation of Railway Executives. last Monday. The employees will make viz orous protest against granting Gen eral Atterbury's request for immediate abrogation of the national agreements covering working conditions
 B. M Jewell, president of the rail- way employees department of the American Federation of Labor. has been closeted with labor, leaders for the last three days preparing his res ply to the Atterbury request. It will be presented at tomorrow's morning | session of the board 1t was planned, & after which MT. Winter will attempt to conclude the railroads presentation of testimony.
  of General Atterburys request would be made Friday, as hearings are held tkat day. Labor men predicted that the board would deny the request and in some quarters it was said recess would be asked by the employees rep resentatives Co prepare rebuttal to tho Winter testimony.
 Desire to proceed with the hea ing in an orderly manner. and declaration .l A,tl< x,f.f* *Ie. lar poded into any decision regarding the case, was expressed by board .aem- bers, although it wishes, they said, to reach decision in the whole matter as speedily as possible.
 PRESIDENTS TELEGRAM
 Mr. Jewell tonight made public an- other telegram which was signed by himself and six heads of rail workers organizations. The message was re~ play to telegram sent to the Presi- dent by Thomas Dewitt Cuyler. chair man of the railway executives, in an-' swer to the original message for warded by the employees protesting against the proposed abrogation of the national agreements Tonights mes sage read in part as follows.
 We have read in the press copy of telegram which the railway X- ecutives are reported to have ad- dressed to you in reply to our recsn, message. The charge is made in this telegram that our original object in calling to your attention the astoiind- ing action of MT. Atterbury last Mon day before the railroad labor board was conceived as Plumb Plan league propaganda' The statement is false. and is put to deceive the public.
 The claim is made that the railway worker. who Is already the chief suf- ferer from the depression in the trans- portation industry and whom Mir. Ats terbury considers least able to defend himself, is to have his distress further exploited in order that railroad re- serves may be conserved and railway finances may be maintained unirn- paired. Such an attitude is not only .fepugnant to the most elementary con alterations of human welfare. but Is directly at variance with the actual decisions of all courts and arbitration tribunals. Without an exception. they have all held as you know. that the financial conditions of a corporation should not have any bearing upon the determination of reasonable wages or working conditions
 ''In addition to this violating all precedents and striking at the very existence of the labor board itself MT Atterbury's action. we believe, has a deeper significance. We are convinced that he wishes to take advantage of the temporary unemployment and the unfortunate economic condition of the railroad workers which the railroads < have intensified to crush our labor or ganizations and to deprive us of our Fundamental rights and guarantees, all of which, are reasonable'
 The telegram went on to say that the workers would show:
 WHAT THEY WILL SHOW
 ssThat there is no economic iustifi- cation for wage reductions or tfe ab- rOgation of fundamental rights em- bodied in working rules.
 That statements that the interests of farmers and shippers are dependent upon reduction in wages are unsound and that d reduction in the general cost of living is not dependent upon a reduction in railway wages. N n That the railroads are controlled sy Ian inner group of New York banking houses and that the so-called open shop movement or the attempt to de- stroy our union seems to be directly connected with the railroads of which the banking house of Morgan x Co. X are the fiscal agents" ss
 Tn closing, the message stated that:
 "If the public expects us to main tain the spirit and letter of the law and to rely upon the Judicial settle
 
 we must be protected from the il,- advised and misguided efforts of Mir. -Atterbury and his associates who are violating the procedure established by law and because of an absurd and i'm possible obsession for destroying rail- way labor organizations are resorting to methods which are indefensihle and opposed to the public welfare"
 "The total number of employees of the railways increased under govern n1ent control by 2c1.o00,'' according to statement issued by Mr. Atterbury Tonight, which added:
 X sIt Is fact o5 the highest signifi- < canoe In its bearing upon the matter { of agreements, rules and working con ~fttions. whose notification we have askaA the railroad labor board to ap- rproye. that of this increase. 232,56s 6ecurred in shop employees. clerks and 4 maintenance of way employees. with whom tEe railroad administrators made the three principal nationa ' agreements,
 esThe transportation act requires eff tient and economical operation of ths railways Efficient and economica operation cannot, however. be secured without removal of the great restric- tions and obstacles In the way of eff. X 6ient management. which are set up bJ A ARn1es and working conditions whicl xsFx efo adopted as war measures.
 5 Ehe railways desire to treat theii
 Drs.