The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-08-03
CAN RAILROAD STRIKES BE
PROHfRTTRD

problem Of the railroads. Is not
complete solution. IL seems TO have
covered all contingencies with the
exception Of providing that the rail
roads shall run And while other
Issues have been adjusted under the
sct since n became Law IN 1920. the
danger that the railroads would not
run has continually bobbed up.
That the railroads when operated
shall be operated for a reaEonsble
return 10 owners and at reasonable
Gust 10 users is' being worked out
Rates have come down Somewhat
and will come down stu further.
and earnings have improved some
what and will improve further. II
q seen that by patience and by Civ
Ing the Law a chance 10 prove what
merit there is In IL as solution
OF the problem OF transportation Il
may confirm the opinion OF nearly
everybody concerned. that II is
workable constructive legislation.
What the Esch-Cummins law sig
miles is that transportation as now
organized over the country performs
public function and Is subject to
public control. Consequently the
government under the act fixes the
rates and returns. The act slso
sets up the Labor Board as buffer
between MANAGEMENT and en-
ployees, in the hope that by its ar
bitratlon wages and conditions Of
work will be satisfactorily adjusted.
This In as nearly complete control
as can be taken short Of govern
ment operation outright. and yet the
danger arises OF a suspension OF
traffic. and has repeatedly arisen
Etnce the law was passed.
How this problem IL TO be solved
may well occupy the minds OF law
makers at Washington and is more
urgent than tariffs and many other
important questions.
What the public primarily expects
OF any sort OF regulation Of rail-
roads Is that traffic shall not be
interrupted. but shall go on as usual
pending settlement OF any and all
differences. as TO rates and wages
and working conditions and returns
10 owners. II transportation is a
public service TO such an extent as
TO warrant such drastic regulation
as is already provided, II Is a pub
lie service to the extent of requir-
ing that II shall be continuous. and
consequently that men who work
on the railroads go into II with that
understanding. This does not i'm
ply that an individual may not quit
Mt pleasure, but H. does imply that
n sufficient number shall not quit at
n given time 10 stop the service. In
a word. no railroad strikes.
IL the government prohibited
strikes on the railroads, requiring
ample notice from dissatisfied
workers OF intention OF any consid-
cradle number TO quit. II would
necessarily be under obligation to
assure just wages and working con-
Nitions, as in fact the Esch-Cum-
minis act intends. and this seems
TO imply a Railroad Labor Board
with more definite powers than un-
der the present law. II Is difficult
to conceive OF board with such
duties better constituted than by
such a formula as the selection of
three members by the managements,
three by the employees and three
representing the public by the Presi-
dent. But there is widespread
feeling that its majority decisions
should be binding and not advisory
as they now are. Such a board
should then have power as well to
order railroads not TO farm out
shop contracts In order to escape
the purpose of the law as to fix
wages and conditions OF employ
ment.
SO long as the employees. dis
satisfied with rulings OF the board.
can refuse to continue to work, the
railroads can be tied up precisely
as IL the owners. dissatisfied with
rulings OF the board or the Inter
state Commerce Commission, could
refuse to operate them. II is no
solution, OF course, that the govern
ment can come In and assume opera
tion pending some sort OF settle
ment
Such provision for continuous
service would not force men to work
who do not want to work on the
railroads, while IL would deny them
the right TO quit In concert for the
purpose OF preventing operation.
III II is said that the right to strike
IL inherent. the answer is that no
such right is admitted OF members
OF q police force or of any other
vital government service, and the
whole plan OF regulation OF trans
portation implies that this is a public
service, made so because railroads
are the common highways of com
merce and communication. because
all are entitled to use them on the
same terms and charges, and be-
cause they are government mail car
riers and that when the govern
ment assumes complete regulation
OF vital public service. as II does
OF this one. It is under obligation to
assure that the service will not be
interrupted. The same consideTa-
tions that warrant the government
In taking practical control over
transportation warrant Il I'm prohib-
.ting interruption,-Tope Capt.
tai
II. q. Purdy was quite sick the
first OF the week He was hrnmRht