Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-02-18
Rail BOARD WON I
KILL WAGE PACT
Federal Body Refuses Plea of
the Managers.
PAY AGREEMENT MUST STAND
Union Head Charges PIot-Declares
Executives Seek to Destroy Labor
Organization and Re-EstabIish
"Financiai Autocracy."

Chicago, Feb. 11.-Lab0r won a vic
tory by decision of the United States
railway wage board. The i applica-
ton made January 81 by w. w. At
terbury on behalf of the railway ex-
ecutives asking the abolition of the
national agreements and the taking
away Of the fixed rate of wages of
railway employees, was denied by the
board.
The board, incidentally, refused the
establishment of q new basic rate for
unskilled labor, predicated on local
conditions.
Board Without Jurisdiction.
The board, meeting in the federal
building, held that it was without jul
risdiction over questions involving the
financial conditions of the railroads
and unqualified to consider petition
arising from and based on alleged
financial distress.
In announcing the decision, Judge
r. M. Barton, chairman of the fed
eral board, urged that it be mot furth-
er interrupted by the introduction of
unwarranted demands by either
party"
The board is now and for several
months has been considering the ma
tiOnal working agreement, clause by
clause. Judge Barton said the board
was in that way "endeavoring to per-
form it's obligation" to determine
whether any of the rules and work
ing conditions now in effect are unrea-
sonable."
Jewell Charges Completely.
Completely on the part of American
railroad executives and financiers to
destroy the organizations Of railroad
workers, and re-establish autocratic
financial control of the transportation
industry was charged by B. M. jewell,
president of the railway employees de-
partment Of the American federation,
who appeared before the United States
railroad labor board in the federal
building.
Mr.. jewell, chief spokesman for the
railroad workers unions, also charged
the railroad executives with framing
up of evidence" and declared fair
consideration of the pending case is
impossible until the motives inspiring
the request to abrogate the national
agreement are fully revealed both to
the board and the public.
To Settle Old Problem.
The question of the proposed abro-
Ga ton of the national working agree
ment for railroads is expected TO be
definitely settled as Il result of this
meeting.
Frank p Walsh. counsel for the
standard unions" cOntended that the
labor board had no jurisdiction over
questions involving the suff1ciency of
the roads finances to pay the unions
demands. Jurisdiction in such ques-
tons, he held, rests with the inter-
state commerce commission.
Mr.. JEWELS reasoning follows in
line with his expression Of satisfaction
with the refusal of President Wilson
to interfere i'm the controversy. in spite
of the fact that the nations executive
was asked by the unions to DO SO.
It involves the argument that the
proposal of Gen. w. w. Atterbury for
wiping out of the working agree
ment at once because of bankruptcy
menace to the roads is based solely
on the inability of the roads to meet
the financial termS-Of the agreement.
Hence, he holds. the problem is
deeper than the mere questions of
wages and working conditions. to
which the jurisdiction of the board
is limited by law.