Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-17
R. R:,.STR|KE ADVICE
STERNLY REPR0VEO
Suggestion by Minority OF Rail
Labor Board Resented in
~ Majority's Rejoinder
SEEDS OF ANARCHY SEEN
! BY the Associated Press

Chicago, June 17.--Alajority mem
bets of the United States Railroad
Labor Board. who yesterday ordered
another S27 900 900 slash from wages
OF the nations railway workers. today
replied to criticisms of minority mem
bers Of the board with the charge that
the dissenting members presented "in-
cendiary arguments in a strained and
exaggerated effort to intiame the en-
rloyes to strike against the decisions
Of the board
The minority, constituting two Of
the three labor members. were accused
OF Sowing some Of the tiny seeds that
have terminated and hosSomcd into
industrial anarchy in Russia" "
Yesterdays decision, which affected
wages of 80. 900 railway clerks. sig
nalmen and stationary tiremen. brought
total reductions effective July | under
the boards orders to Sl3j 600 900.
approximately 200 900 railway en-
peyes are affected by the orders.
ACCOMMODATING yesterdays order car
rying reductions ranging from two to six
cents an hour was lengthy supporting
opinion from the members representing
the railroads and the pubic and the
dissenting opinion by the labor mem
bers condemning the order.
The dissenting opinion took the ma
JoIi'y W tdsk tot me cut ana ue-
clared there could be mo question that
very great pressure had been brought
to- bear on the board from different
sources, making it difficult - consider
the case on its merits The net
effect was to read into the Transpor-
tation Act new bases probably never
contemplated' by the trainers, the
opinion said.
Five reasons were named t. cover
the minority objections: That the
bases on which the decision was made
gre not sufficient TO justify the action
taken' that the reasons offered for
the cut go "far beyond the provision of
the Transportation Act that the new
wages do not Ensure continuance of
prerious standards Of living: that
basing railroad wages on similar wages
I'M outside industries is not sufficient
reason for reduction al present. and
that the new wages condemn these
railway workers TO lives of extreme
poverty
8 Reply to Labor Members
In their prompt rcioindcr today the
majority members said in part:
S1t is not incumbent upon the six
members of the board concurring in this
DECISION to follow the minority into a
partisan controversy which partakeS
more of the characteristics of impas-
stoned advocacy than of calm adjudica-
don;
In so far as the dissenting opinion
distorts the sentiments of the ma jority.
misquotes their language and reflects
upon their desire and disposition to do
justice, we will refrain from comment.
We prefer to believe that these impro-
prieties crept into that part of the
document which was drafted by the
employees in the headquarters of the
railway department of the American
Federation of Labor and that they
were overlooked by the dissenting mem
bers.
''There is one feature of the dissent
ing argument however, which is so
unqsual thar II should not be passed
over without notice. and that is the
portion wherein the two dissenting
members advise the employees to strike
against the decision Of the board.
''Incendiary Arguments" Scored
"It is something new for labor mem
bers of the board 10 issue inCendiary
arguments 10 employees in favor of
striking against decision Of the board.
The giving Of advice of this kind has
heretofore been left to outsiders. who
were not under the official obligations
imposed by the Transportation Act. the
main purpose Of which is to prevent
railway strikes and protect the public
from their dire effects"
N ut is well to remember" the state
ment continued. that the time will
never come in this or any other country
when the ordinary rules of common
sense and business, call them economic
laws, IL you wish, can be absolutely
ignored in the conduct Of any industry.
The latest instance in which these laws
have been thrown overheard and re-
placed by tne-spun socialistic theories,
both in railway and other Industries
is found in Russia. and the result there
is not one that this country desires to
emulate.
Social System Not Perfect
ut will be readily conceded that our
social and industrial system not in.
variably produced perfect results. but
upon the whole, II has demonstrates
Its superiority to every experimental
substitute that has been offered Anc
the fact must not be overlooked that
this great industrial republic has re.
warded labor with its largest degree o.
liberty, prosperity ana happiness. 1
is well not to hold its minor imper.
fections so close 10 the eye rs 70 OBJ
scure its benefits"
, Recognition oC budgets proposed b,
the minority would result in the los
OF hundreds Of millions Of dollars Il
the railroads each year, the maj0rit,
members continued.
This shortage would have had to b.
paid by some form of taxation on III
public, presumably freight rates. whic
would have added to the burdens 0
every individual in the country, ricI
and poor, they said.
Cincinnati. June II.
President Lewis arrived here tOda
and announced he and other officers &
4 the miners would meet with the rn
union chiefs who nrc lenders in IN
threatened rail walkout. Later il wa
agreed 10 hold the first meeting mex
Tuesday night
THE mine workers are going 10 wi
their strike 5cy"nd the question Of
doubt declared Mr.. Lewis, rrferriu
10 the suspension OF work in the Goa
industry, which began April last
SENATE TO HOLD TARIFF
BILL TILL COMPLETED