Evening star., 1921-10-03
Editorial Digest
More Talk Of Railroad Strike.

Even though that hardy perennial,
the railroad strike vote, should fail to
flower, the fact that it has been per-
mitted to develop at all has occasioned
pretty sharp disapproval in the press
Of the country. AS most editorial
writer's view the situation, the strike
vote was taken merely to furnish an
instrument with which to force a ia
vorable ruling from the Railroad Labor
Board on working conditions. and such
tactics are. of course, generally. con-
demned. But in the event that an
actual strike occurs, the shop crafts
and the train service men involved are
their strongest weapon, popular sup
port. will be denied them.
The whole formality of a referendum
on the wage cuts declared by the Labor
Board. says the New York Herald Gn-
dependenn ,ieEen san Nv was pure bunk" because
out of the question" With the realiza-
tion that "in times of depression public
sentiment will not countenance rail-
road strike" but, with an overwhelm-
ing majority in favor of a walk ,out,
the organization chiefs Sin as dubious
a position as the dog which, having
chased and caught the trolley car, does
not know what to do with It," The
prospect of a railroad strike. as the
A<OAiSSiiC
sees It. lis another dark cloud in a sky
already dark with business depression,
subnormality and stagnation, ;" and,
since responsible union officials
know that the tendency of the
rank and file is always to vote
Courier Journal thinks it is "signifi-
can't that they proceed to issue the
ballots" Certainly they understand,
the St, Paul Pioneer Press Gnde-
pendenD is convinced, that the en-
tire economic situation is an unan-
swerable argument against a resistance
to move that was justified by condi-
tions and approved by public opinion
that makes no mistakes"
Why, then, was the machinery put
In motion for a referendum on ac-
eepting the wage. reductions? To
independently replies that there is
reason for believing that the current
strike talk is very largely for the
purpose Of trading on the working
rules" now under consideration by
the Railroad Labor Board. With
holding action on the strike vote
until the unions know what the
Labor Board intends to do with the
demand that no changes shall be
made in the rules and working con-
ditions for another year at least"
may or may not "be intended for the
intimidation of the board" but to the
Boston Herald Gndependent republi-
CAM "all tokens indicate thus far
that the leaders are maneuvering to
secure a position that will enable
them to enforce the alternative of
'concede our demands or take the
responsibility for a strike" tactics,
which. employed by the railroad or
calls, secured the passage of the
Adamson eight-hour law
Apparently, the Boston Post (inde-
pendent democratic) agrees. the "ob-
vious construction" Is that "the
strike vote is nothing more than a
and as such it means virtually that
the men are "proclaiming in advance
that they will not abide by the arbi-
tratiOn award unless 1t is satisfactory
to them." The men have the right,
the Post points out, ITO refuse to ac-
cept the award when it is announc-
ed" since the decisions of the board
least, it is ill-advised on the part of
the unions to threaten in advance
that they will not accept an adverse
decision" Such a means "of coerc-
ing the Labor Board" in the opinion
of the Springfield Republican dnde-
pendenD, shows a fundamental mis-
understanding, of the spirit and pur-
pose of that BODY for. as the Nor
folk virginian Pilot Independent
democratic) says. 1.-The board is under
obligations to itself and to the pub
lie to ground it's decision on justice.
and such, effort as that indicated by
the. action Of. the union leaders is to
be listed "a in violation of this
fundamental pfineiple."
|x4ut while "a big .stiek..sis,4waved,"
the Boston Transcript Independent
republican, thinks that upon exami.
nation it may prove to be, . stuffed
club" Nevertheless, it points out,
railroad employees are going sthrough
the motions of preparing for a
strike" and therefore this Is no time
for the rest Of the American people
to sit idly by watching the process
of throwing monkey wrenches into
the MISUNDERSTANDING" since,
as the Grand Rapids Herald (repub-
lican) expresses, it, industrial rebel
lion on the part of anybody is the
poorest contribution that can be made
to the American industrial and COM
mercial situation which is just begin
ming to brighten with new life"