The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-01-11
RAIL CHIEFS SEEK
! new LABOR PACT
Present Agreement Makes For
|neftICIency, They Say,
| MILLIONS WASTED YEARLY
Railroads Accused Of Bad Faith by
Labor Leader Before Labor Board
in CniclCc

in Chicago.
Chicago. Jan. 1.-THE national
agreement betW eCn The railroads and
various rl.iSS s vi their employees,
standaruilziug the ia7lCr's rules and
working conditions throughout the ma
ton, which were Instituted within six
months before the end of federal con-
troll. should not, in the interests OF
"hontst clicient and economical man
aGemCnt" be continued longer under
private OPERATION.
This contention Vas made by repre-
railroad labor beard mere during the
hearings on the demand of railway en-
ployes fer the Fermentation of these
agreements.
The only parties who are fully
qualified to consider such regulations
are the individual arrangements and
their employees" l.. Y. Whittier, chair
man of the managers committee, which
is presenting the CAR Q : side of the
controversy, testified.
The reasons for the carriers oppo-
sition to national agreements were out
lined during the course of the hear
ings in the opening statement on be-
half of the railroads. This opposition,
according to Mr.. Writer'S testimony, is
based on the grounds that:
They are ultra-restrictive, and there
fore prevent the honest, efficient and
economical management" demanded by
the transportation "ct:
The variable conditions in different
sections Of the country make the uni
versal application If their provisions
impracticable;
The existing rules, The continuation
of which is proposed by The men, are
capable of various constructions
The existing agreements provide that
the rules contained therein shall ap-
ply to all employees Of asy particular
craft, regardless Of the department OF
the railroad in which the man is en-
ployed, thus leading to a division OF
Jurisdiction and conflict in the work
ing rules applicable 70 employees en-
gagged In the same work;
The existing agreements have de
stroyed acknowledged efficient and eco
nomical practices. such as the piece,
work system for regulating rates OF
pay:
The railroads must have relief from
the rules controlling tht. employment OF
men, which are so restrictive as to
prevent them from obtaining sufii.
cient number of employees in certain
departments, thus interfering with out
put and causing delay to the movement
of traffic;
The agreements contain many rules
which provide for payment for work
not performed, and thereby eause many
millions of dollars of unnecessary ex-
penss annually.
The railroads have broken,faith with
the public, according to charges made
by B. NJ. Jewell, president f the rail.
way employees Department. of the
American Federation OF Lad r.
Mr.. JEWELS statelnent~ Tened the
hearings, which are expected 10 go into
the allegations of the brothtrhoods as
to the need of permanent tabunals 70
adjust wages and working 2nditlons,
and also to hear claims by ailroad
arrangements that the der BIDS are
only subterfuge FOR perp. luation OF
the closed shop.
Mr.. Jewell asserted that ksthe rail-
roads and those who control Them have
not done equity either in respect to
the public interest ar to the govern.
ment, or in respect to the spirit of the
TRANSFORMATION act of 1920"