The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-10-22
A WELL DEFINED ISSUE

TILE RAILWAY LABOR BOARD Is a lawfully constituted pubifs
agency consisting Of Representatives Of labor, the railroads and
: the public in eqaaa proportion. In is final annlysis the strike
,sa ny ~ the s ranr'aa Ts ano. ,:,s sgr oS e ?, ~ rs IS against rs she - findings ..nss ?" .
the railroads helped by the fact that At least some Of the latter have
porhtion tangle the people are not partsans. They are mot for the
unions against the roads, or for the roads against the unions They
freight rates,-and for peace Their only representative in the threat
ensd war is the Law Of their country. as represented by the railway
and consideration Of Nil MISUNDERSTANDING the publicis. These de-
cisions are fcanded on aseertained facts and careful deliberaion.
In the railway labor board and the law creating and sustaining
it we have as fair a means Is has been found for adjusting controver-
strike challenges this rational method. The public does not fail to
understand that fact, 1t now remains to be seen whether the unions
which have called the strike will defy the law which de6es this
method. The issue has been wen defined. The public should not fail
Washington correspondents who usually are able to interpret
correctly The policies of the natenel government. have stated that
lahng TO the proposed strike which provides for two lines of pro-
l. To support the railway labor board with a view to enforcing
respsc' for its decisions by both the employees and employers
ton. IN ras e' sser sssdi b. : tho i"T lssol board Ss sie'sH' rates '' onset r''''
In ~furtherance of the first procedure the informal conference was
called by the labor board in Chicago. This resulted in nothing look
The next step was the adoption by the railroad labor board yes
terdsy Of the formal resolution citing the railroad unions and the
railroad companies to appear before the board in Chicago next We'd
nesday, and warning the unions not TO strike, until the board had
heard their grievances and rendered a decision.
Under the law the labor board has no powes to enforce its de
visions, nor are its decisions binding upon either party. Public opin-
ION is relied upon % deter either party from Ignoring a decision Inc
formal citation to show cause for defying the board will put the
president, the interstate commerce commission and the public, as the
law requires. A strike prior to the rendering of a decision will be a
a'AAAKE - &Ha
The president is represented as determined to put the dispute ad-
justng provisions of the transportation act TO the test. in order to
determine once and for all whether the labor board is fnpotent to ef-
feet compliance with its decisions, and whether the plan fer prevent
ing railroad strikes embodied in the transportation act is entirely flu.
tile. Thus he is said to approve both the citing of the Pennsylvania
railroad management, and the citing of the brotherhood chiefs asI
being In the same category. H
In the meantime the president, it is stated, takes the position that
there is no occasion for undue excitement over a situation which was
fnrseen az possible, if not probable, when congress passed the Esch-
Cumminsb bill, and which is being dealt with as provided by that law.
II the law fails 10 prevent strikes, in the manner contemplated, it will
be time TO adopt other measures and possibly 10 propose additional
legislation That time has not come, in the opinion Of the president,
ii is stated, and in the meantime the public should remain calm and
lend its support to a full and fair trial of the law.
1t goes without saying that the great, 'unorganized public is per
fecily willing to remain calm and lend its support to a full and fair.
trial of the law. 1t wants only the opportunity to do so in peace and
with the right to go about its business without interruption while the
tnal rs under way
IL Is the small but organized minority whose attitude toward a
fair trial Of the law is being observed with keenest interest and con
Germ. The labor boards formal citation, in fact, has narrowed down
the issue to the single question of whether this small but organized
minority will respect the law, or whether it can defy the law and get
away from IL.
We, the unorganizei public, may not understand the intrcaeies
Of wage scales and working rules at issue between the railroads and
the brothcrhoods but the issue defined by the labor boards order we
can all understand