Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-18
Gtst Of Statement.

THE thing. 1t is proposed to strike
against, is the decision Of the railroad
labor board authorizing the reduction
of IL per cen in wages which the
1921. There is at present no other
possible ground for a strike by the
railway labor bro~therhoods.
THE railroad labor board vas Gre
ated by the transportation act passed
by congress in 1920 which delegated
to it the duty, lin case Of disputes, of
determining reasonable, wages and
working conditions of railway employ.
es. The wage reduction put into eff
feet on July<l was authorized by the
railroad labor board under the provi-
sion Of this act. Therefore the strike
which mas been ordered will be, If it
occurs, a strike against a decision
made by a government, body acting in
accordance with a federal law.
THE situation presented is, in im-
portant respects, more serious than
that created by the issuance of a
] strike order by the same labor organi-
Eations in 1916. which p~recipitated
! the passage of the Adamson act. At
that time, while the railways had
asked for arbitration, there had not
been any arbitration because the labor
unions had refused 1t. Therefore. the
labor unions were then within the
law. The present case Is entirely diff
ferent. There is now a law which re-
quires the railways and their employ
es to submit to the railroad labor
board disputes which may interrupt
transportation.
while the railways complied with
1.-the decisi0h in 1926 for an advance
Fin wages, the&labor brotherhoods now
propose to defy the law and strike
rather than accept a much smaller re.
duction in wages. The ourse of the
labor unions in ordering a strike ir
violation of the decision of the rail.
road labor board and in disregard Of
the plain provisions of the law, !,
clearly adapted to nullify these pro.
visions of the law,
The railway executives of thu
country at a meeting in Chicago OF
Oct. IA, did not make any re,
duction in wages, but decided Smpl,
to seek a further reduction in accord
apce with the law. so that rates nigh
be reduced. )
THE railway employees have n.
more legal right to strike against l
than the railroads would have had t,
authorized in 1920 by the labo
board" DID
Concerning the labor board publ
group proposal to cut rates immedi
ately, the statement seld;
In Accordance With Laws.
TN asking for a further reduction
in wages in order that they may b
able to grant the public reductions Il
rates, the railways arc acting only Il
accordance with the laws and i
obedience to an i%nsistent public de
mand that they shall create condition
which will enable them to reduc
Erates. The suggestion has been mad
In a statement issued by the publ
members of the railroad labor boar
that the. railways to prevent a strike
shall. make haYreductfon in rates equa
to the reduction in wages made o
July l., and shall postpone seeking
further reduction in wages
"A general reduction in rates with
out a further reduction in wage
would be ruinouss to many railway
Thus far in the year 1921 the railway
have entered a net return of only 2.
per cent. and although the net EARN
ings have increased recently OWN
largely to the recent reduction i
wages a general reduction Of rate
without a further reduction in wage
would put the railways back in a yer
preoarious position financially"
The statement declares the road
were in sympathy with the farmer an
desired to help him through lowe
rates just as quickly az poasfble, BIZ
that this al impossible pndS
present wages. 5