Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-10-24
Harding May Ask
People to Uphold
Rail ilLabor Board
President Confident Public
Will Rally to Support of
Government Body
IL Men Strike.
BY ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
ChIcaxo Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.

BY ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.
Washington, Oct. 23.-President
Harding is confident the American
people will rally to the support OF
the railway labor board il the rail-
road brotherhoods persist in strik'
ing in defiance OF that body.
1t is not unlikely, it transpires,
that the president will address an
appeal TO the people to uphold the
authority OF the new agency de-
signed to put an end to the derange-
ment of transportation by strikes.
The railroad labor board lacks
authority under the transportation
act to enforce its decisions, but con-
gress entertained the hope that the
force of public opinion would be suf-
ficient to deter a union from strik-
ing in defiance of a settlement pro-
claimed by the board after full and
fair investigation of the merits Of the
dispute. If the impending strike
should prove a failure because of
public condemnation, the result
would go far toward establishing
the authority of the board and pre-
venting future strikes against its
decisions.
Situation Unchanged.
Senator Cummins discussed the
situation with the president last
night.
81 do not see that tn. situation
is changed in any important respect"
said the senator tonight, "but still
think there will be no strike. If the
men do go out, the government, of
course, will deal vigorously with the
situation in the interest OF the whole
people"
That President Harding and the
Interstate Commerce commission are
not in accord on the question OF
rate reductions is the significant con-
clusion drawn from the decision of
the commission in declaring rates on
grain, grain products and hay be-
tween points in the western nnd
mountain Pacific groups to be url-
reasonable.
The importance of the grain rate
decision, which, it is officially csti-
mated, may reduce the revenues Of
the railroads $35,000,000 to $50,00O,-
600 annually, lies in the fact that
the commission therein subscribes
wholeheartedly to the Harding view
on railway rates and operating costs.
In his address to congress April
II, 1921. President Harding declared:
"No Improvement will be perrr1a-
nent until the railways are operated
efficiently at a cost within that which
the traffic can bear.
"If we can have it understood that
congress has no sanction for gov
ernment ownership, that congress
does not levy taxes upon the people
to cover deficits in a service which
should be self-sustaining. there will
be an avowed foundation on which
to rebuild. '
Freight carrying charges have
mounted higher and higher until
commerce is halted and production
discouraged. Railway rates and
costs of operation must be reduced"
The decision in the grain rate
cases establishes beyond any doubt
that there will be general reduction
in rates, particularly on the So
called heavy moving commodities.
Within few hours after the de-
cision was announced, the American
Wholesale Coal association filed
formal petition for a reduction Of all
rates on coal and coke and of charges
for reconsignment and diversion of
coal cars and for their detention.
Would Stimulate Trade.
The complaint of the wholesale
coal dealers is also based on the the
ory that rates should be reduced as
a step toward "perwar prices and
conditions" It shows that the COM
mission has already used restrictions
in the transportation charges on
grain and meat and emphasizes the
necessity of like reductions in the
charges for transportating the ma
tion's fuel. The association con-
tends that a reduction in the coal
rates will do more to Immediately
and directly stimulate industry than
a reduction in rates on any other
commodity.
The commission found in the grain
case that the present rates on wheat
and hay involved will be unjust and
unreasonable to the extent that they
may individually include more than
one-half of the increases authorized
in July, 1920, when rates we're in-
creased from Is to 40 per cent; that
the present rates on coase grains
will be, for the future, unjust and
unreasonable to the extent that they
may exceed rates 10 per cent less
than those prescribed as just and
reasonable on wheat.
On the western group, the increase
made in 1920 amounted to IS per
cent and in the mountain Pacific
group, Is per cent. The commission
entered no order but indicated that
the recommendation had been COM
piled with not later than November
20. This is equivalent to an order
and without doubt will be carried
out by the western railroads.
"Jersey" Quits October 80
Fairbury, Neb., Oct. 23.-(SpeciaD
The New Rock Island time cards
Al