Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-15
PRESIDENT AND
LABOR BOARD
GROUP CONFER
g Continued from page ~
Best Aid to Public.

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The statement issued at the White
House outlined the presidents belief
that the public group of the wage
board. and the members ofSthe COM
mission could do most for the public
welfare IL they worked in co-opera-
ton. 1t also emphasized the opinion
held in administrative quarters that
a. REIMBURSEMENT OF tile whole rail sit
uation4 would be Of the greatest pos
rehabilitation, After setting forth
the purpose Of today's conference the
statement said
THE railway labor board. created
by the Cummins-E sch act. comprises
nine members in three groups Of three
each. The public group are named
by the president; the labor group. are
named from a list nominated by the
railway labor organizations, and the
managing group from a list of. NOM
inees named by. the railway execu-
tives.
~ Given Broad Power. g
The board is authorized generally
to deaf with the labor. wage and
working conditions that concern the
employees Of the railways and is Civ
on, in some directions, rather broad
powers.
"In asking the melnbers,ofa the pub
lie group to meet him the president
was moved by the desire to accom-
pllsh what he hopes may be impor-
tant results as early as possible. Rec
;Iognizins that the labor group and
also the managing group are in the
nature Of things partisan Of the re.
spective elements which they repre-.
sent the president felt that it was
unnecessary to invite these two groups
because their attitudes would neces.
sary be partisan in any consideration
of wage questions. The labor group
could be expected to advocate main.
tenance, of the highest possible wages
while the managing group could
equally be expected to insist thai
therefore, the presidents opinion tina
the mostp rompt and effective re
suits might be secured by simply call
ing in the public group which is con,
cerned equally with the interests O.
labor, of management, Of shippers
and Of the general community.
THE president has been impressed
that a somewhat anomalous situation
surrounds the relations of the inter
state commerce commission and tn
railway board. The interstate com
Nmerce commission has very largi
powers. through its control of rates
to determine what the revenues 20
the railroads should be: While tn,
railway labor board through its au
1 thority in the matter of wage deter
limitations has avery large power il
determining the largest item of rail
way expenditures. The president was
therefore, impressed with the desira
bility OF getting these two highly po
tential bodies together and reachin
something like a definite understand
ing between them. 1t is z. fact nc
entirely without interest, that thes
two bodies have never Officially me
together.
For a long time the president ha
been giving much attention to tn
problem of the RAILROADS in it's broad
est relations. He has been persist
emily assured on one side that bus
ness could not make a general an
lasting Improvement until railroa
rates should come down; and on til
other side. he has been told that
was impossible for rates. to con-
) down unless the wage charge shoul
be lowered. He, therefore. deterfnir
ed to get together the two publ
bodies which have to deal with wagt
and rates and give them every POI
+ sible encouragement to take>a stror
lead in the effort at an adjustment