, 1921-02-17
Railway Labor Board Refuses
to Abrogate the National
Working Agreement.
IS WITHOUT JURISDICTION
Senate Committees Report Against
Naval Holiday and Suspension Of
Observation-Disclosures Are Pre-
pairing Their counter-Pro-
posals on Preparations
ev EDWARD w. PickARD.

This years first big labor fight, that
between the railways n the rail
workers, really opened last week when
the national railroad labor board took
Ut the appeal of the rail executives
for immediate abrogation of the ma
tional working agreements. The hear
ing drew to Chicago the heavy guns
of both the executives and the rail-
way 'brotherhoods. The board decided
against the railways. which, however,
have not abandoned the fight.
As was foreseen, President Wilson
declined to intervene. though asked to
by both sides, stating he would not
take any action (which would inter-
fere with the orderly procedure of the
interstate commerce commission or
the railway labor board"
Frank p. Walsh, counsel for the rail
unions. and b. M. Jewell, head of their
department Of the American Fedora
ton OF Labor, are leading he fight
Of the brotherhoods. Their first &C
ton was to question the Jurisdiction
Of the labor board in this matter, on
the ground that a question involving
the financial ability of the roads to
pay is within the province of the in
terstate commerce commission, the la
Dor board being limited by law to
questions OF wages and working con
ditions. This point the board decided
was well taken.
Chairman Barlow said the board for
several months had been considering
the national working agreement, clause
by clause, to determine whether any
parts were unreasonable, and he urged
that 1t be- mot further interrupted
by the introduction OF unwarranted
demands by either party"
The second part of the general argu-
ment of Mr.. Walsh was that h move
by the railroad executives is part of
a "wall street conspiracy" to kill the
power OF the unions, establish the open
shop, crush collective bargaining and
reduce wages.
Twelve New York banks" said Mr..
Walsh, through interlocking direc-
torates. control % class | roads, which
have so per cent OF he class / mile
age and 10 per cent Of the total rail-
road mileage of the United States. In
the hearings OF the Lockwood commit.
tee In New York the testimony re.
vealed a movement on the part OF
certain interests to crush unions and
establish the open shop II is di-
rected first at the two basic Indus.
tries OF building construction and
transportation"
A great many persons not directly
concerned in the present controversy
believe with Mr.. Walsh hat there Is
a concerted movement to establish the
open shop. and, likewise, n great many
persons are In sympathy with such
u movement. These persons see the
impending conflict rs a fight not be
tween labor and capital, but between
tyrannical labor unions and industry
Most Of them have suffered and are
suffering from the intolerance of botf
organized labor and organized capital
and they are very tired Of II.
What railroad men said was one OF
the most far reaching decisions made
by the labor board was handed down
last week. the ruling being that e wa,
the duty OF the Boston and Main,
railroad TO confer with the committees
of the American Federation OF Lnbol
over the grievances OF It's workers
Employees said the decision uphei,
the right Of independent organization,
Of railway workers 10 present theil
grievances to road officials. In the
Boston and Maine case II was said 4
conference Was refused because thoss