The Washington times., 1922-08-07
ROAD OFFICIAL
SAYS HARDING
BADLY M|S[ED
c. n. Stein, of Central Rail-
road, Believes Presidents
Misconception Is Honest.
BY CHARLES H. STEIN,
General Manager Central Railroad OF
New Jersey.

General Manager Central Railroad Of
New Jersey.
Copyright. 1922, by Cosmopolitan Eewr
Service)
NEW YORK, Aug. tt be-
lieve President Harding has been
misled regarding the situation as
it affects the railroads in the
present strike; that he honestly
misconceives the facts.
The facts are, and the records
will easily prove this, that the
railroads are doing everything
that both the President and the
Railroad Labor Board directed
the railroads to do. In his open
communication, addressed to the
railroad executives, he urges
them to take steps to keep their
roads in operation, saying that
it was a duty required by the
public.
Obeyed Suggestion.
Well, the railroads obeyed the
Presidents suggestion and hired
men TO keep the lines in operation
when former employees struck and
sought to obstruct the functioning
of the roads. We have refused to
re.employ on their own terms. the
men who voluntarily left their jobs.
What is the result? The railroads
are blamed for doing the very thing
they were told, a short time before.
to do. Is that fair?
The present split was not on the
subject OF seniority rights, but on
the points OF wages and working
conditions. Now it has swung
around to seniority rights because
that seemed to offer the best excuse
for the strikers and a more advan.
tageous strategic position than the
others.
The railroads, for the life OF them,
cannot understand how any fair
minded. intelligent man can deny the
soundness of the attitude maintained
by them on the subject OF seniority,
and their determination not to dis.
charge men from their employ to
whom they have pledged their word
TO stand by.
What position, may l ask, would
the railroads find themselves in II
they should discharge the men who
have remained loyal and who have
taken up the work which the strikers
of their own accord refused to do.
Exchange for Service.
AS to the claim that has been made
that the strikers have any inherent,
or proprietary rights in the matter
of seniority preferment, the fact is
our former employees were given such
so.called rights. or advantages. in ex.
change for continuous service.
When these advantages were ex.
tended to them, 1t was thoroughly
understood by them that they were
gwen with the understanding that
such service was to be given in
return. While so employed they
were honestly given the advantages
promised. 1t was an equitable eX.
change.
Would any department store, in.
surance company, newspaper or
other publication, corner grocery,
or what not. conducted on business
principles, continue TO employ per
sons who did not render service
for the salaries paid them. And
IL such employees left their employ.
ment freely and OF their own &C.
cord. would their employers continue
to extend to them special rights. or
take them back on their own terms
regardless of the tact that they had
violated any rights or advantages
that had been voluntarily given
them.
No, the railroads are confident
that their cause is a just one and,
this being so. they are determined
to stand by those men who have
stood by them in this crisis. We
could not do less.
AS to the report that the Govern
ment may seize the railroads and
operate them unless the roads COM
ply with the Governments demands,
well. that is a very serious matter.
The courts exist to protect the in
terests Of the people as well as
those of the Government.