Evening star., 1921-10-17
PRESIDENT FACES
PROBLEM IN STRIKE
Executive Influence Vital.
Both Sides Defying U. S.
Labor Board.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Executive influence alone can save
the nation from a railroad strike.
Both the railroads and the en-
ployes have defied the U. S. Railroad
LABOR Board. created by Congress for
the very purpose of avoiding strikes.
Where the fault lies is hard for Off
cials not in daily touch with the
situation to decide. The fact is. both
sides have conducted continuous
propaganda designed to show that the
initiative in ignoring the Railroad
Labor Board lies with the other.
And while the auarrels have grown
more intense. while some Of the rail-
roads on the one hand have goaded
the employees to strike by declaring
they were ready to deal body blow
to unioniSm, the employees, on the
other hand, have insisted that if they
take a cut in wages the rates must
come down for freight and passenger
service.
Problem Put ON Doorstep.
Between the two stands the public.
represented by a more or less help
less group in the United States Rail-
road Board. but now represented by
the larger influence and power of the
chief executive, upon whose doorstep
the problem has been deposited-the
railroads, confident that Mr.. Harding
will force wage cut and the en-
ployes sure that the President will
not dare to use his executive power
to interfere in a labor controversy to
their disadvantage. The employees
know, moreover, that in Congress the
powerful agricultural bloc has been
trying for months to force 4 reduc-
ton in freight rates. and that the
railroads will not escape this time
with simply victory over their en-
ployes If Congress takes hand.
Reduced to Simple Formula.
President Harding has reduced the
matter to simple formula in that
he recognizes that the Interstate
Commerce Commission on the one
hand, which controls the income of
railroads, and the United States Rail-
road Board. which handles a large
item in railroad eXpenditures-name-
ly. wages-have much in common and
that a combined report from both
agencies will assist in an intelligent
settlement of the problem.
For months the railroads have peen
insisting that they couldn't reduce
freight rates. They convinced most
everybody in the government that
they would be bankrupt by July l
unless aid was forthcoming from
given and now october is here, with
railroad earnings picking up. The
railroads have been making volun-
tary reductions in freight rates. but
Mr. Harding, who has from the first
insisted that rates must come down.
probably will not be satisfied this
time with promises of reductions. but
will find way to make those re-
ductions effective.
Time for Negotiations.
The fact that nearly two weeks
must elapse before the strike order
takes effect is looked upon as Civ
ing ample opportunity for negotia-
tion. Meanwhile the word from rail-
road sources is that a strike can be
fought and will not paralyze traffic.
Gen. Atterbury of the Pennsylvania
railroad is reported as saying that
the strike could be beaten by his
road. 1t may be that his employees
will not prove ,as loyal to the unions
as the leaders of the latter think. IT
will be noted that union leaders
have postponed the strike order on
the Pennsylvania two days beyond
the date of the call to the work
MEN on other roads. This is interpret
ed here as meaning that it is hoped
to influence reluctant employees on the
by demonstrations of
strength on western railroads.
Copyright, 1921