Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-05-05
TO BE NO MORE
RAILROAD STRIKES
UNCLE TED TELLS CHILDREN
NEW BOARD ONE OF GREAT
EFFICIENCY.


EFFICIENCY.
But there hasn't been q railroad
strike in long time now, cause I
was talking to Mr.. Jones and you
know he is an engineer on one of
the fastest trains and ought to
know something about what he
says" Jack was having quite a
time making sister Ruth understand
that, being older than she, he felt
that his argument should be the
final word.
swell, l don't care" continued
Ruth, II don't see what there is to
stop the railroad men from going
on strike just as they used to-"
Here, here, what's all the ex-
citement?" called Uncle Ted from
the back porch where he was plant
ing flowers in a row of window
boxes. 81 thought you Riddles had
gone out to play tag, and. here you
are fussing again."
I'VE aren't fussing," said Jack.
Ruth says the railroad men can
strike whenever they want to, and I
say they can't"
anu hSithCi VI yOu huOWo WudL
you are talking about" interrupted
Uncle Ted. you are both right
and you are both wrong. Look
here, I'm about through. Suppose
you run out to the swing and I'll
be along just as soon as I wash my
hands. Then il you are real good
I'll tell you something about our
railroads"
Gee! Uncle Ted." commented
Jack, you're a good scout"
1t wasn't long before the three
chums were sitting in the lawn
swing and Uncle Ted had started
his story.
"I'm going to explain a little
about what is known as the Rail-
road Labor Board that came into be-
ing through the transportation act
OF which I have told you before.
This board is made up of nine men.
Three OF these men represent the
public-that is. you and your father
and Johnny's father-when disputes
come up, go that strikes can be
stopped and our food and clothes
can continue to be shipped. These
three are appointed by the President.
Then there are three representing
the railroads. They are picked from
a list OF six given the President by
the Railroad Executives Association.
The last three represent the railroad
men, as you call them, that is, rail-
road labor. These three are ap-
pointed by the President from a list
of ten given him by the railroad
labor organizations"
nnt NH 40 10
Ruth.
Nov. Miss Impotence, wait a
minute. This board has no power
to enforce any decisions 1t may
make, but public opinion is relied
upon to make them effective. Ruth,
you see when the employees of the
railroads are not satisfied with their
pay they can complain to this board.
The board then has the power to
hear the complaint and make a de-
cision as to what shall be done. 1t
can also hear complaints regarding
working conditions. The employers,
the railroads themselves, can also
complain to this board IL they don't
like what the employees do. II Meth
er the employers nor. the employees
have complaint the board may feel
that the public has, and it has the
power TO start a nearing itself for
the public.
There is another good thing
about this board. II the railroad
employees and the railroad manage
ments get into a dispute 1t is the
duty of the board 70 watch this dis
pute closely. II the time comes
when the board thinks this dispute
may mean the stopping of railroad
traffic and bringing danger to the
public 1t can call conference to set
tie the matter"
What has it done so rar?" ask
ed Jack.
''The board, Jack, recently hand
ed down a decision doing away with
the national agreements and putting
in their places set of sixteen prin-
ciples. The two important ones
were that labor should give eight
hours work for eigth hours pay,
and also that the employers should
deal with men representing their
employees, no matter whether or not
they were employed upon the road
in which the dispute occurred. This
would make 1t possible for all the
engineers to select one man to deal
with all the railroad arrangements
OF the country on matters affecting
engineers.
"The board has selected as its
chairman, Judge R. M. Barton, of
Tennessee, who was formerly a
member of the Court of Appeals of
Tennessee. Henry Hunt, former
mayor of Cincinnati, who recently
retired from the board after serving
his one year term, has been succeed
ed by Benjamin w. Hooper, former
( Republican Governor of Tennessee.
Walter L. McMenimen, deputy pres
ident of the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen, has been appointed to
take the place of ]. ]. Forester,
representing labor. Samuel Hig-
gins, formerly general manager of
the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford Railroad, takes che place of w.
l.. Park, representing management,
who retired April 18th.
$50 you see. kiddies, there is a
body of men to try to settle these
matters so that we won't have any
more strikes, and feel that 1t Is a
big step in the right direction"
KimbalIfan,s Rapks ConsoIidafa