Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-03-14
Showdown in Rail
Union Squabble
Due Next Monday
Federal Labor Board Orders
Employers and Unions to
Appear for Hearing ON
Wage Fight March q.
By ARTHUR M. EVANS.

Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.
Chicago, March 13.-The issue of
whether a federal court can override
the United States Railway Labor
board moved toward a showdown
today. when the board notified tie
receiver Of the Atlanta, Birmingham.
and Atlantic railroad and representa-
tives of IS railroad unions to appear
for hearing, March q, to determine
whether wages had been cut and a
strike called in violation of the labor
boards decision.
The A. 3. and A. controversy has
been regarded as furnishing the la
Dor board test case" on the COR
stitutionality of the transportation
act. The hoard takes the position that
both Col. B. M. Bugg. receiver
of the road, and the employees have
violated the boards mandates. The
case, as it now stands, involves the
question of whether carrier,
through receivership process, might
toddle out of the jurisdiction of the
labor board. The unions in particu-
lar regard it as an important case.
In brief, after the board had re-
manded proposed cut i'll wages
back to the management and the EN-
ployes Tor joint conference, the A.
3. and A. went into a receivership.
The federal court, after making Col
onel Bugg, who was president of the
road, receiver, ordered wage reduc-
ton to be put into effect, March |.
he employees struck.
Mediators Walk Out.
Two federal mediators walked in
to mediate, but walked right out
again Friday and said they would put
the matter up to President Harding.
Today the labor board took the
matter up in executive session. In
a ruling it said that it has been the
legal duty of The A. B. and A. to
pay the scale of wages set by the
board in its decision of July 20, 1920.
Until otherarates of wages are agreed
upon by the carrier and by duly
authorized representative of the
employees concerned, or until con-
ference has been sought and denied,
or it has not been possible to agree
III conference as to what wages shall
constitute just and reasonable wages
and the dispute has been referred to
this board for decision"
1t says also, that it is the legal
duty OF both carrier and men, to ex-
crt reasonable effort and adopt every
available means to avoid any inter-
duption to the operation of the car
rier. growing out of any dispute If
unable to reach settlement, it said,
the dispute should have been referred
to the board.
Both Violate Decisions.
The carrier, in cutting wages, and
the men, in striking, it held, have
violated the boards wage decisions.
The Erie railroad announced in
New York that it has restored the
cid rates of pay for common labor
and has wiped out the cut put into
effect January 81. In this, the road
adds that the railroad carried out
the order of the board.
The Erie states that "a slightly I'M
piONSu SOHultiOll III DuSIiiCSS lIdS
made the return to the old scale
possible. The road. in line with all
the other large carriers. will sub
NIT the question of wages to the
labor board in the shape of definite
controversies.
The effect Of the Erie announce
ment was to strengthen the prevail
ing impression that the big roads
would adhere to the provisions of
the transportation act. 1t was in
terpreted in various quarters as an
indication of the attitude of the car
riers.
Meanwhile the roads, large and
small, are going ahead with their
preparations for conferences with en-
ployes, with view OF bringing pro-
posed wage cuts before the labor
board, as directed, in the shape of
controversies" Some roads report
that Judging from the attitude mani
tested by the men in preliminary
conferences, reductions in common
labor's wages in some instances
will probably be through direct
agreement with the men and with
unemployment growing, this idea
gains weight.
Negro Charged With Murder