The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-07-17
Labor's Side OF
Shopmen' S Strike
From Mr.. Compers
By DAVID LAWRENCE
(Copyrtsht By The IntelltSencsr)

Washington, July l6.-There IS two
sideS 10 every QueSti0H-and organized
labor. through rs spokesmeC. Samuel
Gompers, dtscloses its case against the
railroads. its case against the United
States railway labor board. its argument
against the use OF federal troops "a
strike breakers and its suggestions as
20 Nhov the present strike can be
brought to an end.
SITTING az the head % long oak
table in the beard room Of the American
Federation OF Labor building Mr.. Com
pers IN his char2cteristically dramaSS
fashion. explained labor'S viewpoint to
a group OF assembled correspondents
and then submitted TO cross eNa anina-
ton.
In brief. Mr. Gompers thinks the
United States railroad labor board
meddlssome institution. He was against
It's creation when the transportation act
was under discussion In congress and
he rasnt abated his opposition one bit
since Here are the main points IN Mr..
Gompers' discussion Of the present
strike:
First. the rresideu, vas wronS N
saving that the railroad employees are
striking against .thelr government or
sre disobeying law when they ignore
the decisions OF the United States rail-
road board. Ninety two railroads said
Nj Gompers. have violated lO3 deci-
sions OF the railroad labor board and
NOBODY at the white Hause has seen NJ
10 issue a proclamat'Gn calling the rail-
road executives lAwhreakers and the
United States railroad labor board has
NJ passed any resolution refusing ~
recognize the present management, n
the railroads ana calling on the stock
holders 70 choose NV executives wto
could ee recognized BY ths United
States railway labor board. II will be
recalled that the board recently passed
6 resolution declaring that the unions
which had refused 70 obey the boards
Stctsiors would not ba recoSnized and
suggesting that the vorkmen form new
organizations.
Evsding Laws Intent
Second. In response TO 4 question as
10 whether the railroads were violating
tho transportation. act Mr.. Gompe-s liz
sisted that they were disregardtrg the
lrtent and purpose OF the Law by tho
method of contracting for outside labor.
He declared that workmen. however,
did not have the same opportunity
Asked point blank whether the railway
employees would. in his Judgment. obey
rhe decisions Of the railroad labor poard
/. the ra!lroed executives did hS. %iso.
the veteran chief OF Americas labor
forces said po!rtedly that such state
o. affairs would contribute 10 the CONT
dence which American wcrkmen would
then have In the good faith OF the rail-
roads and the labor board itself. He did
not promise to put labor unreser' ed!H.
however. in the hands OF the United
States labor board or any other govern
mental agency.
This IS not a legal question" ne said
nor - II Political. 1t is solely econ
cmc."
Right to Quit work
Carrying out this riewpojr: further.
Mr.. GornTers insisted that Hver> man has
4 right IN free America 70 QUIT TcrK II
ne Is dissa,lAed and no law could ever
compel him to work against MS VIII
Involuntary servitude. he said. would
otherwise DO ehr result. With eloquent
remarks 70 the effect that II r..n were
forced 20 work against their will tho
emancipation proclamation OF Abraham
Lincoln and the thirteenth amendment
, would he anrulled. Mr.. Gonpers II as
his deliberate Judgment that all efforts
10 regulate industrial relations by law
would fail because OF this same inaltan-
able right.
Somewhat different ve-s chs COM
r1eats issuing from the White House.
however IN answer 10 hypothetical In
oui-fss as 20 whether the government
would have the power 20 draft citizens
10 work or the railroads in an extreme
emergency The president holds that
hts rOvers are ljmitless IN an emer
rsucv. especially II hts action Is in
f.nded 20 preserve the health and SAT-
~ 81 The American people. though otn-
clals At the White House we're careful
70 point out that they expect no such
contingency 70 arise.
NJ. Gompers and his assistants, OF
course do not like 20 see FEDERAL troops
ps.d They say It makes the govern.
rren, a strike breaker They argue that
the several states can maintain order
and uphold the law and that union la
nor viii TO, bring about dtsturoan ;es
Nr' corpers cleared Mr.. Jewell OF any
Iu,srt rs!Itully 70 interrupt interstate
commerce He pointed out nevertheless
mat me railroads would be sending out
poor equipment and incompetent en-
Moves 70 run trains and that accidents
urdcr such circumstances we're newt
rb!s
Enforcement the Issue
The Issue In this strike. IL becomes
apparent from Mr. Gompers' arguments
as wei! as the attitude OF 'he White
House Is whether the United States
railway labor board can entorcs It's de
rtsions Mr.. Gcmpe~s wants 20 see the
board stripped ~ any authority :" reg
ulate mans wages. lie SAYS wages
are an individual mater. an ccoaomic
question which cannot ne settled by
board consisting of three representa-
dives Of the railroads. three represen-
tst.veS OF labor ard 'hree representa-
,ives OF me public who. Mr.. Gompert
insists are siu,riv representatives. OF
IN
80. six 20 three against labor. II tho
railroads. and their employees we're the
negotiate directly without tho LABOR
So,rTs Intervention. \" thinks the
like could b. settled at once ans re-
mr.. trouble averteo.