Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-02-05
u. S. READY TO
TAKE OVER ROADS
IN EMERGENCY

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-The gov
eminent is ready to resume charge
Of the railroads If present difficult
ties between employees and managers
result in a strike, it was learned au-
thoritatively today.
Authority for such action by the
government is contained in the trans
portation act and officials Of the pres
emit administration at least have indi-
Gated they will use 1t to prevent any
tie-up Of the transportation system.
Labor union heads including Sam
uel Gompers, head of the American
Federation of Labor, says they fear
serious consequences If the railroad
labor board at Chicago grants de-
mands of managers for either abroga-
ton of national working agreements
or reduction of wages. The managers
are asking abrogation of the agree
ments and say they will ask wage
reductions If their first demand is
granted. &
1.-THE railroad workers will resist
to the bitter end any attempt to
foist on them the proposal of the
railroad managers as presented to
the Chicago board" said William H.
Johnston, head of the International
Association of Machinists. ut will
be very difficult to prevent a general
strike Of railroad workers if they
feel that the railroad managers have
gained their demands"
Against this statement stood that
of ]. H. Parmelee, director of the
bureau of railway economies, the
roads must have abrogation of the
agreements, wage reductions or high
er rates if they are to escape bank
ruptcy. The public will not stand
for higher rates, Parmelee added.
Look for Compromise
While they prepared for the event,
government officials in touch with
the railroad situation today said they
did not believe there would be a
strike and that the present rail diff
ferences would end in compromise.
They pointed out that the rail man
any resumption of government con-
troll and that the workers realize a
strike would not get public support
at this time.
Officials here view the situation in
this light:
They believe the roads were not
operated as economically as they
might have been during the six
months period when the government
guaranteed earnings of per cent. 1t
is known, for instance, that the in
terstate commerce commission has
evidence that very high prices were
paid for repair work in some cases.
This in part SuStainS charges of the
labor organizations.
On the other hand, it is said, the
national agreements, drawn when it
was necessary to prevent work ers
leaving the roads for more lucrative
employment work some injustice
now. The case is cited of a station
agent at small New England town
who was getting flat wage of $50
with it's overtime provision came
along and the agent found himself
getting 1910 month and he has only
two trains day to meet.
1t is the belief here that the agree
ment may be modified somewhat to
apply to such cases, but that no re-
duction in essential wage levels will
be given and that both the workers
and managers will retreat from their
extreme positions and accept this
compromise.
Investigation Possible
If 1T should be necessary to take
over the roads their operations would
be directed by the interstate COM
merce commission despite the fact
that the railroad administration is
probably be welcomed by the work
erS.
Johnston said the demands Of the
railroad managers was framed in
Wall street.
eff Wall street wins government
operation of the roads is a certain
ty," he said. Government opera
tion is bound to come sooner or later
anyway"
A congressional investigation of
the railroad situation as demanded
by the workers in kilograms to Pres
ident Wilson also was viewed as
possibility here today. Members of
both house and senate interstate
commerce committees are quietly in
quiring into the dispute. They point
out that an investigation could
asked in connection with some of the
railroad bills now before congress.
These bills include measures to al
low immediate payment to the roads
Of the guarantee funds, payment Of
which has been held up by the treas
ury; q bill to further extend suspen-
sion of section ten of the Clayton
act which forbids railroads buying
supplies from their subsidiaries and
the Poindexter anti-strike bill.