The New York herald., 1921-03-05
AGREE
TO ACT SINGLY ON
LABOR QUESTIONS
Association of Executives OF
101 Companies Vote to Drop
Labor Committee.
WILL CONFER WITH MEN
Wage Readjustment Expected
to Be in Line With Reduc-
ton of Rates.
WILL CONFER WITH MEN

or national bargaining Dy railroads
with their employees on wage ques-
tions, and one which railroad execu-
tives believe will result eventually in
the lowering of freight and passenger
rates. was taken yesterday by the
Association of Railway Executives in
abolishing its labor committee.
This committee, of which Gen. w.
w. Atterbury of the Pennsylvania
Railroad is the head, has been in ex-
istence since November, 1919, and was
named originally to advise the rail-
roads on the provisions of the trans
portation act. On March J. 1920. Presi
dent Wilson. in letter to the roads,
asked that accumulated wage demands
be investigated and acted upon by the
railroads. and this work naturally fell
to the labor committee. Since that
time it has handled all OF the wage
problems, including the recent hearing
before the United States Labor Board
The dissolution of this committee puts
the problem of dealing with employees, in
regards to wages directly up TO each
road. and each one will now be able
to follow its own dictates in meeting
local conditions At the same time the
rallroads have declined to enter national
boards of adjustment.
1O1 Roads Agree on Move.
The agreement to dissolve The Labor
Committee was reached at day-.ong
session Of member roads OF the associa-
tion. held In the board rooms OF the
New Haven in the Grand Central Ter
minal. One hundred and one roads. ac-
counting for more than 90 per cent. of
the railroad mileage in the United
States. were represented at the meeting
and agreed to the move.
Just how the abolition OF the labor
committee will aid the roads in their
present plight Is mere guess, at this
! time, executives say. In effect. 1t puts
each road squarely on its own feet. Con-
ferences already have been called oy
roads of the Eastern district. with rep
resentatives of unskilled labor within
the next week, with the hope Of reaching
an amicable adjustment Of the present
scale. In case an agreement cannot be
| reached the problem will be put up
i
directly to the Labor Board.
| Yesterdays action also makes IL pos
/ gible for each road TO enter into any
agreement il is able TO negotiate with
| its employees, skilled as well as un-
| skilled. II is the intent of the roads,
\ officials say, to get back TO the normal
costs of operation rs quickly as possible
| in order that freight and passenger rates
NAV be brought down, and this Is the
ultimate object in view III tile dssolu-
\ ton OF the LABOR Committee.
Thomas Dewitt Cuyle.. chairman OF
the Association Of Railway Executives.
who presided nj yesterdays meeting.
said that the action was taken on the
recommendation Of the committee itself.
"The committee has now substantially
performed its work and its further
maintenance is n constant invitation 10
seek a rational and uniform settlement
1 OF labor matters which ought TO be set
tied between each carrier and It's own
employees" declared Mr.. Cuyler. Many
OF these settlements should differ on
different railroads and IN different
parts OF the country"
Use Policy of Direct Dealing.
"The railroads have never desired
national and uniform action on labor
matters. But on the termination OF
/ Federal control they were raced WIN
certain arrangements which had been
applied on each and every railroad
| without variation. In connection with
the national boards Of adjustment, the
national agreements. now before the
the United States Labor Board, and the
wages of unskilled labor. the railroads
have been moved by one fundamental
policy-namely. the endeavor TO restore
to the individual arrangements the OPP
poftunity Of dealing directly with their
own employees and Of having a reason
able voice in determining the conditions
under which they fulfil their Individual
responsibilities TO the public for efficient
! and economical management"
! Mr.. Cuyler said that the roads have
declined TO enter into national boards
OF adjustment and called attention TO
the fact that the national agreements
are before the Labor Board for decision.
DETROIT, March 4.-Railroads OF Mich
gan are permitted TO charge passenger
fare rate OF three cents a mile within the
State. under a Federal court ruling am
nounced here to-day. Under the ruling
the Michigan Public Utilities Commission
/ Is restrained from enforcing the two and
a half cent fare law
/ ------