Milford chronicle., 1921-05-06
UNCLE TED'S
BEDTIME STORIES
HOW THE RAILROAD LABOR
BOARD is HELPING TO END
RAILROAD TROUBLES

hAILhUAD IhUDDLEO
But there hasn't been a railroad
strike for long time now, cause
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 sis
ter Ruth understand that, being old
er than she, he felt that his argument
should be the final word.
'Well, I don't care" continued Ruth
Il 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 excite
ment?" called Uncle Ted from the
back porch where he was planting
flowers in a row of window boxes. Il
thought you kiddies had gone out to
play tag, and here you are fussing
again"
1--WE aren't fussing," said Jack.
Ruth says the railroad men can
strike whenever they want to and 1
say they can't"
"And neither one of you knows
what you are talking about" inter-
rupted 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 1 wash my hands.
Than if 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 Railroad Labor
Board that came into being 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, so that
strikes can be stopped and our food
and clothes can continue to be shipp-
ed. These three are appointed by the
President. Then there are three rep
resenting the railroads. They are pick
ed from list of six given the Pres
ident by the Railroad Executives As
sociation. The last three represent
the railroad men, as you call them,
that is, railroad labor. These three
are appointed by the President from
a list of ten given him by the rail
road labor organization.
But what do they do?'' asked Ruth.
"Now, Miss Impatience, wait min
ute. This board has no power to en-
force any decision it 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
explain to this board. The board then
has the power to hear the complaint
and make a decision as to what shall
be done. 1t can also hear complaints
regarding working conditions. The
employers, the railroad themselves,
can also complain to this board if
they don't like what the employees
do. If neither the employers nor the
employees have complaint the board
may feel that the public has, and it
has the power to start hearing it
self for the public.
There is another good things about
this board. If the railroad employees
and the railroad managements get in
to a dispute it is the duty of the
board to watch this dispute closely.
If the time comes when the board
thinks this dispute may mean the
stopping of railroad traffic and bring
danger to the public it can call
conference to settle the matter"
'What has it done so far?" asked
Jack.
'The board, Jack, recently handed
down decision doing away with the
national agreements and putting in
their places a set of sixteen princi-
pies. The two important ones were
that labor should give eight hours
work for eight hours pay and also
that the employers should deal with
men representing their employees no
matter whether or not they were en-
ployed upon the road on which the
dispute occurred. This would make
it 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 mem
ber of the Court of Appeals of Ten
nessee. Henry Hunt, former Mayor OF
Cincinnati, who recently retired from
the board after serving his one year
term, has been succeeded by Benjam-
in w. Hooper, former Republican
Governor of Tennessee. Walter L. Nc
Menimen, deputy president of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen,
has been appointed to take the place
of J. J. Forester, representing labor.
Samuel Higgins, formerly general
manager of the New York, New Haven
and Hartford Railroad, takes the
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 more strikes
and feel that it is big step in the
right direction"