The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-10-22
BY DAVID LAWRENCE. -.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1921.

Y
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22.-NOtwith-
standing the apparent inability of the
United States railroad labor board and
the Brotherhood chiefs to reach an agree
ment in Chicago, few. if any, persons in
the Harding administration expect a
strike.
Perhaps it is the fact that more than
a week must elapse before the strike or
der goes into effect (which keeps official
Washington from growing excited over
the railroad situation. But the outward
calm which has from the start charac-
terized the attitude of the administration
remains the same an Undesirable con-
tidence in the ultimate solution of the
problem without strike.
Broadly speaking, there are some
moves in process which affect the con-
tentions of both sides in the controversy.
The government is waiting, too, to see
the effect of those developments. The
program, for the moment, appears to be
this:
The Program a9d4
First, reduction of freight rates
more drastic than any made thus far.
Second, further conferences immedi
ateiy afterwards with the union chiefs
ecutives simultaneously withdraw their
strike order.
Third. a request that the railway ex-
ecutives simultaneously withdrew their
petition for Il second wage cut.
Fourth, an order from the railroad la
Dor board that the railway employees ac-
cept the first wage cut of July LIST and re
sumo work.
Such program would maintain the
status quo, at least, but with the addi-
tional benefits to the public of "A reduction
in freight rates. Then the United States
railroad labor board which is by no
means rapid moving body would take
its time in investigating the effect of the
lower freight rates on railway incomes
and would ultimately be prepared to say
whether a second wage cut would be de-
SirablC
One thing seems asSured-there will be
no grant of second wage cut by the
United States board at this time. M
soon as leaders of the railway employees
become convinced of this they probably
will suspend their strike order. The re-
turn of the chiefs to Cleveland is not
looked upon here AZ necessarily meaning
an end of the negotiations. 1t was hardly
expected that the first conference would
lead to a settlement. There is the pos
sibility, too. that the railway chiefs will
wait until the last minute before an
nouncing their attitude. They have every
thing to gain and very little to lose by
government and the railway executives
have played theirs. The government
plays its first card by declaring a reduc-
ton in freight rates within u few days.
There is report current that the date
Of announcement is next Tuesday, DC
tober 9th
VIII Not Accept Promises
When once the rates have been re-
duced the government will be in posi-
ton to approach the railway union chiefs
with a definite proposition. Heretofore.
the union leaders have always said they
would not take mere promises of reduc-
ton i'm freight rates into account but
would believe il when the interstate COM
merce commission really acted The be-
lief here is that the psychological effect
of the lower freight rates will be wide
| spread and that it would have the result
at least of persuading the railway unions
| te accept the first wage cut of July LIST.
which. the brotherhood chiefs say. was
| made upon the assumption that freight
rates would come down. The situation,
| therefore, really waits upon the an
nouncement by the interstate commerce
commission of its revision of freight rates.