New-York tribune., 1921-10-26
Carriers Reply They Are
Powerless to Take Any
Other Position; Must
Reduce Freight Rates
No Real Issue With
Unions, They Insist
BoardWarns PayQuestion
Cannot Be Reached Be-
fore July; Rules First

sociated Press The United States
Railroad Labor Board to-day turned
to the railroads in its attempts to
avert the rail strike scheduled for
October 80, suggesting that the
roads temporarily postpone seeking
further wage reductions because the
boards docket was so crowded that
wage decisions for all classes Of en-
ployees could not be rendered before
July, 1922. The carriers, however,
informed the board that they were
"powerless to take any other posi-
ton" than their present one.
In a formal statement the board
informed the carriers that il would
not consider any petitions for wage
cuts until the questions of rules and
working conditions now before it
were fully settled. The board then
unofficially let the carriers know, it
was learned, that since ruling on
wages for all classes could not be
handed down before July, 1922, it
would like the roads formally to an
nounce postponement of their plans
to seek further pay cuts, taking the
attitude that such an announcement
might avert a walk-out.
Carriers Refuse to Yield
The committee of the Association
OF Railway Executives which con-
ferred with the board announced,
however, that the carriers would
stand pat on their plans to seek the
new pay cuts on the ground that
wages must be reduced before freight
rates could be lowered, and that sinca
the strike was called technically in
protest of wage cuts already author
lied by the board, there was no ne
cessity for the roads to take other
than an inactive part in the strike
controversy between the board and
the unions.
Tonight board members, in discuss
sing the statement, said the board
might take up new procedure in rem
dering decisions, handing down in
dividual rulings for individual groups
of employees, instead of one decision
covering all of them.
1t was pointed out by one member
that the statement left to the board
the right to render wage decision for
any one class of employees as soon as
the rules and working conditions for
that class had been settled. but thai
this procedure would stretch into
months before all classes could be con.
sidered.
Conductors Not Involved
In this connection union leader do
clared there were several organiza-
tions, noticeably the conductors, which
had no rules questions before tho
board and that consequently a petit
tion for lower wages for them might
be taken up by the board immediately
without the board in any way going
back on its statement
The statement was not to be looked
on in any way as an ultmatum to the
railroads, board members said, but was
presented in the hope that it might
bring action from the roads which
would tend toward averting the threat
ened walk-out.
In its communication to the roads
the board declared that if both sides
would consider the delay necessary be-
fore wages could again be reduced they
would realize that there was no cause
for immediate strife between them
over this point.
The unions, not taking into consider
alton this delay, were crossing bridges
before coming to them when they called
strike, the boards statement said.
Rules to Come First
1t pointed out also that the carriers
had repeatedly urged a quick decision
on the rules and working conditions
questions now before the board, and
that it had determined several weeks
ago to settle this matter before taking
up anything else.
or the 1000 cases submitted TO the
board during its eighteen months' ex
Istence 300 still are unsettled. the
statement said, adding that proper CO.
operation between the unions and the
roads would have prevented MANY Of
them coming to the board.
The boards statement members
said, was issued tonight. the eve OF
the strike hearing to determine if the
transportation act is being violated bv
the union in their strike plans. in the
nope that it would result in representa-
t,ves of one side or the other volun-
tarily offering some plan TO clear up
the crisis. The board itself has no def
mite plan, it was said. and will try in
the hearing merely to bring out all the
facts in the case.
a formal statement issued by the
executives committee 6ecla red the car
riers were poweress to take any other
position than that Of seeking further
wage cuts.
July Cut Held Only Issue
Railroad executives are not aware
of any present dispute between them
and their employees" said the state
ment in part. The strike vote was
taken solely against decision of the
Labor Board reducing wages by IL per
cent last July
The railroads have determined ~
seek to reduce rates and as means
to that end further to reduce wages.