The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1921-02-25
UNION LOCAL HEAD
{ EXPLAINS RAIL LAW
"a: B. & AS Argument to Labor
Board Checks 'Junking"
COMPLIMENTS LEADER
Says He Reads Leader-E Enterprise
with MUCH Interest

Following is a letter received from
a union local official in Manchester
with additional information of inter
est in regard to the rail wage contro-
versy which was Monday remanded
by the Railway Labor Board to fur
Their conferences between operators
and employees.
Manchester, Georgia, Feb. %. 1921
Mr.. 1sidor Gelders, Editor
The Leader Enterprise and Press
Dear Sir:
have read with considerable pleas
ure several articles in your paper with
reference to the controversy between
the A. B. and A. Railway Company
and its employees, which was brought
about as result of the proposed wage
reduction, l was somewhat surprised
at the good people of Georgia becom-
ing becimeing so excited over the
threat of the management of the A. B.
and A. that the railroad would be
junked if the wages were not reduced,
however | believe that their actions
were due largely to the fact that the
public as rule is not sufficiently in
formed as to the provisions of the
Transportation Act, of 1920. | am
therefore sending you under seperate
cover Copy of the Transportation Act
together with copy of our argument
and brief before the United States
Railway Labor Board, which 1 hope
you will give as much publicity as
possible, in order that the public may
understand more fully what is required
by the law under which the railroads
are operated known as the Transpor-
tation Act of 1920.
Employees Opposed the Act
This law was passed over the pro-
test of the employees, and is the law
which the carriers sought, now since
the law has been passed by both
branches of Congress and signed by
the President, we as good citizens
have sought to comply with the law
both to the letter and spirit of the
law, now since it is the law which the
carriers desired, we believe that they
should comply with it. the threat of
the management to junk the road if
carried out would place them in rather
an embarrassing position as shown on
pages "a and rs, of the Ace.
Railroad employees have never in
'sthe past or do they at this time ask
tor more than a square deal, the rec
ords will not show that they have at
any time been unreasonable in their
demands.
A statement has been made that the
employees were advocating an in
crease in freight rates, this statement
is untrue and misleading. The en-
ployees did suggest that if the A. B:
and A. Railway was not receiving its
just proportion of the revenue on
through freight which originates on
other lines or is delivered by the A.
b. and A. Railway to other lines that
the management should go to the In
terstate Commerce Commission for
a Reaportionment of the through rate,
this however is matter over which
the Interstate Commerce Commission
has control and is not matter to
come before the Labor Board.
l want to again ask that you give
as much publicity to the Transporta-
ton Act as possible as l. believe it is
due the public to know what the law
provides for.
Thanking you for the interest you
have taken in the public in this con-
troversy, and wishing you success in
the future welfare,
With best wishes beg to remain,
Yours Very Truly,
w. D. Cargile
General Chairman, B. of L. F. and E.
Manchester, Ga.
Editors Note-Lack of space pre-
vents reprinting of the mass of data
requested. Mr.. Cargi1es letter sum-
marizes it very effectively.