Evening star., 1921-12-13
More Relief for the Railroads

When a railroad strike was in the
making two months ago there was
considerable talk that the proposed
! walkout was intended to influence
the Railroad Labor Board in the mat
ter of revising working agreements.
Now, however, the board has formu-
lated new regulations which meet not
only the approval of the public as
voiced by the press. but which were
agreed to by the labor members of
the board and will, it Is believed, al
most certainly be accepted by the
railroad shop crafts affected. By a
drastic modification Of the old dis
puted national agreement" the Rail
road Labor Board has established a
reclassification of employment in shop
work which, it is estimated, will mean
saving of $50,000.000 annually to the
roads.
The Philadelphia Public Ledger (in-
dependent) Is calm in the conviction
that "the country will weep no tears
over the passing Of these government
belong to the era when rail labor
made hog of itself" The extent to
which they were a handicap to rail-
road operation Is pictured by q num-
Der of papers by specific cases. Regu-
lation had reached such a fine point,
the Wall Street Journal dndependent9
declares, that "a man who touched
metal couldn't touch rubber until GER
tain small repair Jobs, such as chang
ing a nipple on q locomotive, required
six specialists, whereas they had pre-
viously been performed by one roust-
about" The New York Herald Nnde,
pendent) also relates that it required
"a mechanic, his helper. an electrician,
his helper, and some other Journey
man and his helper to open head
light, look at the inside Of it and then
shut it." In short. the New York
Tribune (republican) says, jobs were
multiplied and the cost Of shop opera
tion was inflated to such an extent
that many railroads were driven to
have their repairs made in outside
shops" Now. however. the Tribune
continues, "the revised conditions put
an end to such absurdities" by doing
away with the many extravagantt
labor" and this, the Wall Street Jour-
nal agrees, is the most important
result Of the Railroad Labor Boards
decision.
wv. va) Mail (republican) thinks, has
been "to cut out what are tmpositions
on the public pocketbook and to remove
restrictions which are not only unneces-
sary in themselves. but which also
needlessly impede the service. and In
this readjustment the Manchester
Union (republiean) feels that there ::
In fact, the New York Times (inde-
nendent democratic) predicts that "the
economy will enable the railways to
be more generous in their treatment
Of their workers who are more de-
serving because Of their greater ef1-
cheney, and therefGIe %,,. to wh,,e % PETER the
revision and the consequent saving
in money 'is heralded as q victory Of
the roads," the New York World
ldemocratic) interprets it 'also AS
victory for Intelligent and far-sighted
union labor leadership" and the Nor.
folk Virginian.Pilot !,ndepsndent Gin Isa,sten
rather than a concession to the roads,
.is a concession to common sense"
One point in the boards declara-
tion. however. is given various inter-
pretations. That Is the matter Of the
"open shop" As the Mobile Register
nrincipie Of the open shop is definitely
racognized." since "the government
has now made 1t possible for non
union employees to present claims d.
rectly."t Hitherto, the Adrian (Michi-
Ran) Telegram Independently says,
their own members and for non-mem-
hers in dealing with sthe operators. :" y.
thus in effect creating "closed shops
IN which, the Wheeling Intelligencer
(republican) asserts. "non:unfon EN-.
ployes found it impracticable: almost
imnossible, to get their grievances
hefnrs the proper authorities" The
new decision. however, Recognises
the unorganized employees OF the roads
and places them on the same basis as
the members Of the unions in the
consideration Of wages. working con-
the New York Globe (indspenAent)
contends,s Ndoes not establish the open
ehop.o THE transportation act, the
Globe points out, REQUIRES the board