New-York tribune., 1921-03-22
National Labor
RulesOpposed
BY Atterbury
Rail Official Holds Country
Wide Agreements Are
Used to Procure Work and
Extra Wages for More Men
Sharp Tits With Walsh
Union Leaders Do Not Really
Represent Employees, He
Says at Board Meeting

CHICAGO, March 21-Briradier
General w. w. Atterbury, vice-presi-
dent Of the Pennsylvania Railroad
and former chairman Of the railway
executives labor committee, took an
emphatic stand against national agree
ments, which he termed "prolific of
misunderstandings," in a heated all
day cross examination bef~-s the Rail-
road Labor Board to-day.
Questioning by Frank P. Walsh.
counsel for the union, brought vigorous
replies from General Atterburv :nd
time and again the witness replied bv
cross questioning his interrogation
Charges that the union leaders did
not really represent the employees and
that national rules were used to pro-
cure employment for more men and
extract money from the roads on
technicalities were hurled across the
table as the General took the stand
against all rules of national applica-
ton. "Se-4N"
The gist of General Atterbu,v,x
testimony to-day may be summarized
Rules should be negotiated between
omcials OF the roads and their own
employees across the conference table
nike game of poker"
Holds Uniform Day Impossible
The eight-hour day could not be uni;
versaiiy applied to all employees, es-
peclally tram service men, because
the Lord didn't build the railroads that
way"
The establishment of the hourly
basis OF shop work has DESTROYED the
energy and initiative If shop emnlov-
ees and abolition of piece work would
be the most dreadful thing that could
happen to railroad employees"
National rules constitute a dog g-collar
around the necks of the railroads, which
would be free to negotiate their own
minute the board cuts the doe-collarS y
General Atterbury was referring to a
cartoon from labor paper represent
ing national agreements as a collar on
dog labelled railroads" and led by
"labor"
Two charges against unicn officials
were laid down by the General in the
climax of the days testimony He de-
clared that although the national
agreements had the object of employ
ing uOIc HcI, Hc was n retCef 1TlenQ
of my men than any of TIE Inion men
at this table" The declaration brought
from Mr.. Welsh query whether Gen
eral Atterbury represented the section
hands of his road.
"No, but you do not. Those men are
not represented here" General After
bury replied.
Demands Clearer Rules
Shortly afterward, in discussion of
specific rules, General Atterbury de-
manded that the rules be interpreted
clearly and words defined. Mr.. Walsh
said he thought the ordinary meaning
Of words applied. This brought quick
retort from the Witness: "Yes, but
when it comes to devising means and
methods of getting money out of a
rule you gentlemen are the most eX-
pert of any know"
"These rules appear very clear to
me, General Atterbury," Mr.. Walsh
said.
That's because you don't know any
thing about them," the witness replied.
Throughout the day General After
bury maintained that no set of rules
could be negotiated which would have
a national application and declared the
only satisfactory way of agreeing on
the officers who would apply the rules
affect.
In his testimony General Atterbury
said that he had always been able to
negotiate with his employees. but that
the national agreements had made it