The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-10-21


and Other Industries.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
| Especial. Despatch to The Reformer.)
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON, Oct 21.-Railroad
| labor faces decision far more important
| to it's welfare than cuts in wages if a
| strike should be called in defiance of the
edict of the United States railroad labor
board.
Having in mind all eventualities, the
administration is canvassing the alterna-
tives in the event that a strike should
be persisted in after the railway labor
board has done all that it can to adjust
the controversy. For the fact is the Esch-
Cummings law which created the labor
board did not provide penalties for viola
tons of its decisions President Hard
ing hopes that public opinion will provide
the penalty-that recourse to the courts
will be unnecessary. Needless to say,
that would be a solution more in har-
mony with the wishes of the President
than any other. That's why he dismisses
as prematurely all proposals which take
into consideration possible violation by
the unions of the mandate of the railway
board
Nevertheless there is a well-defned
feeling in administration quarters which
recognizes that some. kind of policy
must be pursued if, indeed, public opin-
ion does not compel respect for the deci-
SionS of the railway labor board. That
policy unquestionably will be an amend
ment to the Esch-Cummins law imposing
fines and Imprisonment on all persons
convicted of melting strikes or lock-
outs in defiance of the decisions of the
IA
Drastic Step Inevitable
Such drastic step is inevitable if a |
strike should be called. When congress
had under consideration an anti-strike !
clause last year as a part of the Esch- |
CumminS bill, the senate voted IN favor |
of it, The influence of organized labor |
defeated the clause when the bill was In
conference between the two houses and 1t /
was omitted from the law. There was at
that time no psychological compulSiOn /
urging congress to act. If, it is reasoned, /
the senate did actually approve such |
provision when no strike was imminent
and the matters discussed were purely by
pothetical what would bee the attitude
of congress as whole when the nation
food supply and transportation of com
moditieS were seriously held up by a |
countrywide strike on the railroad?
Think Congress Would Act
The impression prevails that if Presi-
dent Hartting asked that teeth be put IN
the Esch- CumminS law 50 that the decl.
sions of the railroad labor board would
be respected, there would be no dlIncultN
in rushing such a measure through con
gresS The big question is whether the
railroad labor unions will force the adj
ministratiOu to such an extreme
It's coming if there Is a railroad strike.
The fight will be transferred to the halls /
4 Il. 4 In HafFNl
sentiment against a railroad tie-up at this |
time to insure passage of any measure
deemed necessary by the administration. |
Incidentally, the original anti-strike |
clause imposed heavy penalties on car
rierS and their executives for entering !
into combinations between themselves 20 |
produce look-outs or strikes. Probably |
this time an amendment would be drafted
which would simply make it unlawful for |
carriers or employees to enter into any
combinations between themselves to VIC |
late the decisions of the railroad labor |
board There would be no reference to |
strikes or loek-outs ]
The passage of such d law affects or
ganized labor as a whole If the exper-
ment succeeded in handling public util-
tiles there might be in the future an Of
fort to make il cover other commodities
like coal mining When the original anti
strike clause was passed by the senate, 1t
was provided that nothing in the act
should be construed as preventing any in
divifual from quitting his job. What
was aimed at was combinations of two or
more persons who persuaded individuals
to quit their jobs. Similarly there are
combinations of individuals in manage
ment who use coercive measures to com
pei the men in associated lines of bust
ness to pursue courses of action which
provide strikes.
May Lose Strike Weapon
The administration is concerned for
the moment only with the railway situa-
ton. 1t is trying through the labor
board to establish peace between the rail
way executives and their men. Failing
in that, law with severe penalties
against those who would interruDt rail
way transportation is bound to be pro
posed VIII railroad labor accept the
lesser disadvantages run the risk OF
being prevented altogether from using the
strike weapon? Official Washington has
confidence that the mediation of the rail
way labor board will be fair and even
handed and that when its proposals of
a settlement are made this week they
will be accepted.