The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1921-10-19
COMPROMISES
But it is Believed the Labor
Board will Present at the
Meeting in Chicago a SEN
sible Program Whereby
Wage Reduction Benefits
to be Passed to Public.
(By David Lawrence.)
Copyright, 1921, by The Daily


Times) lC
Washington, Oct. 1S.-Prevailing t
opinion today among members of the
Cabinet and others in touch with the !
railroad situation is that there will
be no strike.
This is based mostly on know
ledge that the labor leaders them
selves are not eager for test of
strength and that the railroad execu
ltives cannot afford to take an arbi-
trary attitude toward any COM
lpromise solution that may be pro-
lposed.
! MANY a compromise is being con-
lsidered. The chances are that the
tcalling of the strike as protest
lagainst a second wage cut will lose
Its main justification when proposal
lis made that the Interstate Commerce
lCommission and Railroad Labor
Board be given an opportunity to
work out a program whereby reduc-
tions in wages shall be passed on to
the consumer through cheaper freight
rates.
AS it is now, the labor leaders
claim the first cut in wages OF last
July wasn't passed on. The railroads
= iiclaim the wage cut wasn't big enough
to warrant a drop in rates. The
: strike has been called mostly to
: |preyent a second cut. The request for
a second cut in wages, it is suspected,
lis largely the strategy of the railroad
Executives in wishing to make sure
the acceptance of the first cut.
- Shippers organizations seem to De
x-ipIacing as much blame on the u ;
vi Railroad Labor Board as on either
of the parties to the controversy fol
+o the failure of the railroads to reduce
T. trates. The Railroad Labor Board OF
1.-The other hand claims it hasn't beer
Of able to operate single handed since
I'M could not know how far wages coui'
bo he reduced because there was no wa
nc of knowing how far the Interstat
Of Commerce Commission thought
To- wise to go in reducing rates. The La
he Dor Board has been handling wages
he the Interstate Commerce Commlsslo
mt has been handling rates. Preslden
,se| Harding has wisely brought the Z"
agencies together. They have pract
callv adopted a program which WI
he offered as the combined ]udsmei
of the two instrumentalities Whlc
A,,or;aop railroads
VS.! There are plenty of technlcalltle
in inlenty of chances for give and tai
was in the negotiations to permit OF
n+s withdrawal of the strike order,
1os at least it's indefinite suSpenslo
nts while the whole controversy is 1u
af- ther examined. This seems the mo
nv likely outcome of the meeting
Chicago of the Railroad Labor Boa
fol- and the brotherhood CHIEFS
Nov --latest threat to strike is not the
100 snlt of any long-drawn out negot
tion in which both sides nave
fo1 bausted their argumentative resol
Nov ces It is as much the result OF
No Io1d-fashioned calling of "bluH
ANYTHING else. The labor leaders ca
ed on the executives to prot!
against the first wage cut. Ine e.
cutives replied with an announcem'
owl that they intended to request S
cit ond cut. The labor leaders said Il
,d.v would have to call strike. and
rLot executives in effect said go ahea
- of The labor leaders were compelled
LAYS go ahead or lose moral strength i
negotiatfon. If pushed to the III
they will go through with the tie
but nobody here believes the COVE
r.1,v ment will allow the two parties
or in the dispute to goad each other I'M
sa.v test of power at the expense OF
and public.