The Washington times., 1922-07-22

Nkz1M1n<<1k1 lEOH prOOI
- that the strikers
WILLIAM HARD. are turning to
the idea of labor
action in politics. They say that the
miners are pointing out that they
have been put face to face with the
possibility of an arbitration commits.
sion appointed by Mr.. Harding, who.
besides being President. In the head
Of political party. They say chat
the railroad men are pointing out
that they have been put permanently
face to face with Railroad Labor
Board which by law is appointed by
whatever political leader may be
elected President. They say that the
strikers are asserting that II labor
matters are going to be settled by
political leaders, II will be necessary
for labor as labor to 60 into politics
and acquire political influence.
They point to the case Of Mr.. Nc.
Menimen on the Railroad Labor
Board. Mr.. McMenimen is a labor
representative. It 10 claimed that
his appointment on the board in fact
deprived a million railroad employees
Of their proper representation.
Under the Esch- Cummins Law and
under the rules growing out Of II
there are three labor representative
on the Railroad Labor Board; and
there three representatives are
recommended for appointment by
the railroad trade unions divided into
three groups. There 10 group one.
consisting Of unions like the
engineers. There Is group two. con.
sisting Of unions like the machinists.
There Is group three, consisting Of
unions like the clerks and the track
men.
At a certain moment there was q
representative to be appointed for
group three. Mr.. McMenimen is a
member Of a union in group one.
Group one already had a representa-
tive. 50 has group two. In the
meantime, however, a group four
was set up. consisting Of miscellane-
Gus smallish unions too unimportant
ever to be counted among the big
standard" unions which compose
groups one, two, and three.
Mr.. McMenimen was endorsed and
recommended by a union in Group
Four. He did not belong to Group
-Four. He belonged to the train
men In Group Two. His appoint
ment gave Group Two q double rep
resentation. II s. deprived Group
Three-which Is very large-of all
representation. Group Two did not
want a double representation. 1t
protested. Group Three wanted Its
own due representation. 1t also.
therefore, protested. These protests
were unavailing.
It In claimed by Mr.. McMenimen's
hackers that he was appointed be-
cause he Is a very able man. 1t Is
claimed by a large body Of indig.
nant railroad labor people that he
was appointed because in the cleo
ton of 1920 he was an able and
active Republican.
This case has become subter-
raneanlv a very celebrated and In.
fluential case. II has been used
TO foment disaffection against the
Railroad Labor Board. And II has
been used to illustrate the impor-
tance Of politics in labor matters
today.
A labor leader said today:
II don't criticize the President
for the McMenimen appointment.
The President naturally wants to
appoint men in whom his advisers
have confidence. But that 10 Just
the point. The bulk Of the labor
movement today has no influence
and no standing with the bulk OF
politicians.
But you watch the labor vote
from now on! II started pretty
well in Pennsylvania in the run
that Burke made against Pepper I'm
the Republican primary. Burke was
out and out a labor bloc man and
he got $4,000 votes and carried
Pittsburgh.
we did pretty well in Iowa. too.
Compare us there with what we
were two years ago. Two years
ago we were for Brookhart. Of
course, against Cummins; but we
could not carry the towns Cor him
the way he deserved. This year
we did II.
I'VE are sticking together better
now than we ever did before. The
req son Ia that the Federal Govern.
mcnt and the State governments
are mixing into labor matters more
than they ever did before. II can
not be helped. Governments can.
not helm getting carried into the
settlement Of labor problems: and
then labor cannot help getting car.
ried into politics. Personally, I
don't like II; but i don't see how IL
can ever now be stopped"