Middletown transcript., 1921-02-19
NEWS review OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Railway Labor Board Refuses
to Abrogate the National
Working Agreement.
IS WITHOUT JURISDICTION
Senate Committees Report Against
Naval Holiday and Suspension OF
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Are Pre-
pairing Their Counter-Pro-
posals on Reparations.
Nv EDWARD w, PlcKARD.

BY EDWARD w. PISNAnO'
This years first big labor fight, that
between the railways and the rail-
workers, really opened last week when
the national railroad labor board TOOK
up the appeal Of the rail- executives
for immediate abrogation Of the ma
tional working agreements. Ihe near
ing drew to Chicago the heavy guns
Of both the executives and the rail-
way brotherhoods. The board decided
against the railways, which, however,
have not abandoned the fight.
AS was foreseen, President Wilson
declined to intervene, though asked to
by both sides, stating he would not
take any action (which would inter-
fere with the orderly procedure OF the
interstate commerce commission or
the railway labor board"
Frank p. Walsh, counsel for the rail
unions, and B. NJ. Jewell, head Of their
department of the American Fedora
ton of Labor, are leading the hight
of the brotherhoods. Their first ac-
ton was to question the jurisdiction
Of the labor board in this matter, on
the ground that a question involving
the financial ability of the roads to
pay is within the province of the in
terstate commerce commission, the la
Dor board being limited by law to
questions of wages and working con-
ditions. This point the board decided
was well taken.
Chairman Barlow said the board for
several months had been considering
the national working agreement, clause
by clause, to determine whether any
parts were unreasonable, and he urged
that it be mot further interrupted
by the introduction Of unwarranted
demands by either party"
The second part of the general argu-
ment Of Mr.. Walsh was that the move
by the railroad executives is part of
"Wall street conspiracy" to kill the
power of the unions, establish the open
shop, crush collective bargaining and
reduce wages.
"Twelve New York banks" said Mr..
Walsh, through interlocking direc-
torates, control 81 class roads, which
have so per cent Of the class ! mile
age and 76 per cent of the total rail-
road mileage of the United States. In
the hearings Of the Lockwood commit
tee In New York the testimony re-
vealed a movement on the part of
certain interests to crush unions and
establish the open shop 1t is di-
rected first at the two basic indus
tries of building construction and
transportation"
| A great many persons not directly
concerned In the present controversy
believe with Mr.. Walsh that there is
a concerted movement to establish the
open shop, and, likewise, great many
persons are in sympathy with such
a movement. These persons see the
impending conflict as fight not be-
tween labor and capital, but between
tyrannical labor unions and industry.
Most of them have suffered and are
suffering from the intolerance of both
organized labor and organized capital,
and they are very tired of it.
What railroad men said was one of
the most far reaching decisions made
by the labor board was handed down
last week, the ruling being that it was
the duty of the Boston and Maine
railroad to confer with the committees
of the American Federation Of Labor
over the grievances Of its workers.
Employees said the decision upheld
the right of independent organizations
of railway workers to present their
grievances to road officials. In the
Boston and Maine case it was said a
conference was refused because those