The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-08-08
.Uniioniism Is
Real Issue In
Rail Contest
BY DAVID LAwRENcS
lCopyrtSht by Tho 1ntel1ISenceTl

4 kCopyr1Snb py 1ao 4nLo'AAS0ASS~ !
Washington. Aug = Un,ontSm -
shall il survive or perlShH-lS the issue
which dwarfs all others IN the indus
trial crisis today Railroad executives
admit that the seniority question Is bar
phase Of the broad problems Of
unionism: while strikers frankly con
tend that they are fghting 20 preSerN"
a right Of organization which mas
saved them from arbitrary acts and
abuses BY unfair employers IN me
past.
President Harding. If he We're TO
speak his mind, would probably reveal .
that as he turns from side 10 side IN an
effort TO bring a compromise on con
crete questions like seniority and labor
board rulings. he finds alwaTS some
thing bigger and more controlling -
namely. the issue Of unIOniSm.
So bitter Is the feeling. not only be- 3
tween the TWO ContendnC sides. but
within the ranks OF the railroad eNecu-
tives themselves. thar all Washington
i talking today Of an alteration
which took place in the office OF rail-
road president few days ago, IN
which two eastern executives and one
from the south were discussing the lS.
SusS Of the strike One eastern eNecu-
tive. known as the irreConCilabl" foe OF
the unions. was expressing some opin-
ions which the executive from the
south. whose road is more friendly 70
the unions. didn't like. The southerner
j. reported to have become so impas
stoned that he threw an ink we'll al
the eastern executive. and the third
railroad president is said 10 have sym.
rathized with the southerner and or
Le~ed the other eastern railroad man
from his office.
After sparste Peace.
Nrturally the details Of such an '7c'-
deUt vhr-r vas not witnessed b. any
nui.,d"v> WI not be confessed and rs
matter rf ;ridc there would be ins,an,
deuiaIs n The names oS tho executives
were revealed but il Is fact that since !
the quarrel one OF the roads has opened
negotiations for a separate peace with )
',s employees IN the basis Of President /
frariug-s three proposals. including sem !
ir~irv There IS talk that the other !
eastern executive IS about 70 negotiate ,
in tho same way for hiS road.
NS "na administration official put II
tod, iu rcf.rr'uE 20 tho above men
.#Ou.E incident. "If railroad executives
nrN, among themselves. what chance
has President HardirE o' making them
c~ce am sorry 10 say u hut | be- /
ns,o some oT nc railroad executives
wcu'Gur care what damage 'he c"un-
,r, sustained 81 long a. they feel they
-,. do something - crush N" uni0uS.
Er,- w,l the unions he crushed,
Tat, lu~t the Tuss''"0 which the
,,,~o frraufIv - tho executives a"e
ru-,in- 80 their colleagues :" long
..e vnr,Ins conditions are satisfactory
H. strength ~ unions may dimtSh.
s,r, once an abuse - Dsru"trated or
v4ss. rrs ~edure.l below ljy'TE S"a'".
.r. ~r,--rr.u flock 70 the union load
.r- 'u nrr'",' them.
Attitude of Pennsylvania
80 ,,l,,,,~Hiu= feature. oC course. or
H.. {. W -. rush un,outsm. is N" at ,
..,r,Is ~ rr, TouuSyJvauja railroad.
,-.n T., reason "s irs SIZE and 'Hs
- 90. lur,uer ~ mon employed - c"n'-
~, ra,uc tho attention ~ railroad ev-
81. u.t,.S, J"I union leaders throusho"t
.ra .,-r-- The backbone of the OK
...rr,,e-. .u-cInizarion which rejected
rho -sr1,~ft' vrOposal made by tr"-l-
dent N,rdrN- = after all the P"n1S, i
,..ufa r,i.nnl. S,m!laFly the expert
mon, rsIvr conducted bv thA r'euH>yl-
,arra 90. rr~.,k down the American Fed
sr,-f~u 80 Labor IS Watched on every
~rde ,2d ~ MANY quarters - regarded
as rAo true -ais" % the present strike.
The T.u0-'lyaria has organized wHat
arc Ir,,,.- a. company unions. The D
r,.arhrr=n.r IS limited % employees II
the PENNSYLVANIA S"sren and rho v"t.
.rr ror officers "r SpoEesT1Hn was con- .
lurrrd hv the railroad Itself ard ~"
ballots we're arranged 50 thar voting !
,vas h. ~oc,ors instead of by crafts.
IN rho elerrou conducted by the
VearSy},anla i Is admitted that large
number Of employees didn't vote and the
r'gurcs before the labor board snow
rhar isss than in.oOo voted The AM
-~rra0 Federation OF Labor conducted !
m eiAr,ion and claimed that 37.nn men |
voted - have that organization repre-
-ergr -herr Tho Pennsylvania refused /
IN meet fhe SDoksSmsn uf the 2G."N0 !
even though these men were employees /
II the r0.d but instead mad" an aEreA- |
uc-r with tho representatives "f the
70 ooo Who we're in the corupany'S en- !
pIoyr"gt and 'hs legitimate union |
which they felt they could recognize
Election Declared Void
r'0d~~ 'he circumstances the dispute
rHrr'HV 70 TOO t1DNf ppdFu anu b'''0 /,
elections were declared void and 4 nov
election ordered Instead ~ "h",r0= I.
the labor board 'hr Pennsylvania went /
Into the federal courts In Chicago and |
Judge Page ISSUED an Injunction saving !
the labor hoard has u" jurisdiction over !
the dispute The decision has since !
hsen reversed by the circuit court ot ap- |.
peals and Is being carried TO the sur
prer,e court OF the tinted states by tho |
Pennsylvania railroad.
In the face OF such tactics which !
mean prolonged fight to prevent |
urio, men from keeping their organi- !
zation intact, the wage decision Of the |
labor board came along and added fuel !
10 the flames. II the labor leaders ,
we're 70 tell what - in their innermo@t /
hearts they would confess that they !
made an error Of tactics in fighting !
the wage decision OF the labor board /
md going out on a strike. Sill they /
fael that the STRIKE mas called attention |
70 the uneven scales OF justice which |
n.rrnits the railroads TO fiout the labor |
board and enables them in some cases |
70 win the protection OF Federal courts |
N Pa-iivi"owhichio"r
When the strike Is settled and both |
aides take The count Of the casualties. !
II VIII be found that labor GAINED .~-$ I
through the strike than - could hay" |
obtained through the orderly pgo"sS~e~ !
OF the railroad labor board. and that n !