New-York tribune., 1921-03-29
Board Rejects
Plea of Men on
81 Short Lines
Petition for Wages and Con-
ditions Like Those ON
Trunk Railroads Refused
1000 Workers at Presen;
Hearings Later Possible
I. c. Laborers Confer on
Cut; Suit Dropped as
N. Y. c. Delays Reduction

CHICAGO, March % The petition
Of 1000 employees of sixtv-seveu
short line railroads for wages and
working conditions identical with those
on the trunk lines Of the country was
dismissed by the United States Rail-
road Labor Board to-day. The case was
heard last fall on the request Of fifteen
unions that the wage scales and ma
:ional working agreements on the
standard railroads be applied to the
short lines.
Because of the diversified duties of
the short line employees the board de-
elare6 it was "impracticable to deter
mine what reasonable rules shall be an
the short lines,' and without uniform
classification of work the board de-
clared it could not undertake to deter
mine reasonable wages.
An elaborate study of the kinds of
work performed on the short lines
would be necessary to establish reason
able rules. the decision said, and until
the general rules hearing affecting the
trunk lines IS disposed of. the board
pointed out, it was impracticable to
take action on the short lines
Originally loS Carriers, employing
from rs to 400 men, were parties
TO the dispute. Ten electric lines
we're dismissed and twenty seven others
1ppEed the wage scales of the trunk
lines, eliminating them from the case.
Under the decision employees and car
riers may still negotiate their own
agreements on wages or working condi-
tions. The decision stipulated, how
ever, that it should not be considered
as affecting "any wage increase now
in effect nor any agreement regarding
wages between any Garner and its en-
ployees."
Thus, short lines which accepted for
their men the terms of the $500 o0O, 600
wage award of last July will not he
privileged TO go back to the old scale
under to-day's action.
The history of negotiations leading
Up to the establishment of national
agreements for railroad employees was
aid before the Railroad Labor Board
to-day by B. NJ Jewell, president of the
railway employees department of the
American Federation Of Labor. in
continuation of his statement in the
general rules hearing.
Mr.. Jewell cited the correspondence
between the employees department
and the United States Railroad Ad-
ministration as evidence of the CO.
operation between the workers and the
Administration, asserting that q similar
cooperation between the privately
owned carriers and the employees also
IS possible. Mr.. Jewell expects to con-
rnue his testimony for the remainder
Of the week.
Representatives Of unskilled labor on
he Illinois Central Railroad conferred
1o-day with company officers on a pro-
posed wage reduction. The company
has made no definite proposition to
sile men, according to G.. NJ. Kittie, vice
president. who said he expected an
agreement to be reached in several
days.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 2s.-Ap-
plication for an injunction to prevent
the New York Central Railroad put
ting into effect an announced wage cut
on Friday was withdrawn in Federal
Court to-day, when railroad attorneys
gave assurance that no effort to enforce
the reduction would be made pending
hearings before the Federal Railroad
Labor Board.
Request for temporary restraining
order was made last week in the suit
brought BY. 1900 employees Of four
subsidiary lines to obtain the courts
Interpretation of what authority the
federal board has in backing up its
order that railroads may not reduce
ages without conferences with en-
ployees.
WASHINGTON, March 2s. - Presi-
deat Harding was urged to-day by a
delegation representing eleven of the
Independent organizations of railroad
employees and subordinate officials
hat visited the White House to ap-
point a man from one of their organi-
4ations to the Railway Labor Board.
Three names suggested by the dele
cation were those of Wilbur L. Heacox,
Chicago, grand secretary of the Order
ol Railway Station Agents; Edward
Mcnamara, Lowell, Mass, senior grand
vice-president of the Brotherhood of
Station Employees, and James H.
Looney, Worcester, Mass, of the Amer
can Railway Expressmen.