Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-10-22
LEE DECLARES
EMF PL0YES HAVE
RIGHT TO QUIT
Labor Has Been Given
Right to Strike by u. S.
Supreme Court, Claim.
Roads Have Ignored
Order of Board but
Men Have Obeyed.

Cleveland. Oct. 21.-(By the Associ-
'ated Press. although the official or
der citing the railroad brotherhood
chiefs and the railroad executives to
appear before the railroad labor board
hext Wednesday, for a hearing on
whether the wage reduction of last
July has been or is being violated. and
to consider the question of rules and
working conditions. which the unions
contend are being violated by the car
riers, had not been received local broth
erhood executives said they would re-
spond to the citation and be on hand
for the hearing.
Mr.. Lee issued statement comment
ing upon demands for congressional
action that would put teeth in the de-
board in which he said that il those
advocating law with teeth are con
sistent. 'let every one Of them de-
mand law for the regulation of its
own business that will establish the
same relations between himself and his
employees h. demands for railway EN-
ployes.
Order Not Fair
Mr.. Lee asks wherein is there just
ifieation for demand that proposes to
compel the transportation employees to
work under unsatisfactory conditions
that does not include every other class
of employers and employes?' There
is demand for congressional action
that will put teeth in the decisions Of
the United States railroad labor board"
said the statement. But there is no
demand from other business that teeth
be put into law to regulate their
right to bargain with their employees
and fire. is the platform of every bust
ness that unites in the demand for an
law regulating those same
rights of railways and their employees.
The right to strike has been con-
ceded by what is now the highest legal
in the land. namely. the chief
justice of the United States supreme
court. Is it right, then. to deny to
railway employees the same legal rights
that are conceded to every other class
of labor?
Wherein is there justification for
demand that proposes TO compel trans
portation employees to work under un-
conditions that does not in
clude every other class of employers
and employees
nc pam IAcC OF Ine matter is lnat
the railway organizations have obeyed
the labor sections of the transporta-
tion act: they have literally obeyed
every one of its provisions, and if they
leave the service because of their dis
with the award of July l.
they are no: in violation of the law. but
in full accord with every one of its
requirements. They have a right to
refuse service that is equal to the rail
way right to refuse to accept the pro-
visions of an award.
THAT in many instances the railways
have not obeyed the provisions of the
aw cannot be questioned. The attitude
Of many of the railroads has been Of
agreement with the decisions of the
board when they answered their pur-
pose and disagreement when they did
not suit. The railroads have Haunted
The impotency of the board to enforce
it's decisions in its face. but there has
been no public demand that the rail
roads be forced to obey the orders of
the board. Only this week the board
heard reasons from the Pennsylvania
Why it did not agree with the rulings
If the board. This was but one in
stance where the railroads have used
heir own judgment in accepting it's
lwards. The attitude of the roads at
,cst has been that Of insolent indiffer-
nee. while the organizations have obey
ID the spirit and letter of the law
md il they leave the service it will
lot he in yiolafion of the net ~