Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1922-07-07
PAY FOR STRIKE
TOCOME OUT OF
PUBLICSP0CKE7
Walkout is Against Govern
ment, and Therefore is
Against Public Interest,
Says Railroad Receiver

DALLAS, Tex, July 27.-"The nation
wide strike Of union shopmcn is against
the government, functioning through the
Railroad Labor Board. and is therefore
a strike against the public and its par
amount interests" declared J. l.. Lam
caster, receiver Of the Texas Pacific
ranlway today, commenting on the pres
ent strike situation.
mot only this" continued Mr.. Ian
caster. but this strike. regardless of the
outcome, must be paid for by the pub
lie, and il is only fair. therefore. that
the public, which must bear the ex-
pense and Inconvenience, understands
some of the fundamentals underlying
the strike"
Mr.. Lancaster called attention to the
fact that the Railroad Labor Board. Ii
governmental agency on which the pub
lie has equal representation with the
railroads and the employees, and which
is empowered by the Transportation Act
10 hear and decide disputes between the
roads aud the employees, in an effort TO
months hearing representatives, Of the
roads an dthe employees, in an effort To
determine what would constitute "iu =
and reasonable wages" under existing
conditions, and that the decision finally
handed down, cutting the rates of pay
Of several classes Of employees, wit
signed by all three of the public's rep
representatives. on the board, and that
therefore, Mr.. Lancaster declared, the
present strike is against the ruling made
Ly government agency, concurred IN
ly the direct representatives of the pub
lie.
I'm their ultimatum TO the Railroad
Board" sid Mr.. Lancaster, labor
leaders put the situation bluntly, when
they sa:d: We hold without reserya-
on that the board has made a blunder
IN interpreting the intent of the Trans
porstion Act. As the matter now stands
there is no provision in the law provid-
ink for an appeal Of any kind against a
decision Of your body, however mis-
taken or unfair il may be. Your de-
cisions have been submitted TO strike
vote of our members and we are await
ing the results of their action. Should
our members decide not 10 accept your
decisions, or, in other words, To strike,
We shall sanction their action
"In other words. the government. rep
resenting the public, decreed that af-
ter a thorough investigation, the wages
Of certain classes Of employees should
Le slightly reduced because of the de-
crease in the cost Of living and in the
wages being paid for comparable work
in other industries.
Mr.. Lancaster also referred 10 the
statement made in the boards decision
cutting the wages Of certain classes OF
shop employees from five to nine cents
an hour. reading as follows:
"The Labor Board is Of the opinion
that after the reductions made under
its decision, shop employees on the rail-
roads will still be receiving, as rule.
n wage in excess of that while the cost
Of living is now seventeen percent higher
than il was in December. 1917: the av-
stage hourly rates of mach'nists under
the new scale would be 30 per cent
higher. and Of carmen. 10 per cent
higher than in 1917. thus these employees
can purchase far more, even under pres
ent higher costs. than they could in
December, 1917"
Mr.. Lancaster stated that a similar
situation existed with regard TO So
called common, or track and shop labor,
III. Rail Labor Boards statistics show
ing that whereas the common laborer' :
average hourly rate in December. 1917.
was nineteen cents. IL is - cents under
the new rules-an increase Of per
cent while the increased cost Of living
as against December. 1917. is but IL
Der cent, showing that the purchasing
mower Of the common laborer's wage
4
er than il was in December. 1917.
From the above facts. Mr. Lancaster
concluded. (which were set out in the
Boards dec sion. having been arrived at
by absolutely impartial analysis. and
concurred in by all three of the public :
representatives on the board. the only
conclusion that can be reached is that
the present strike is against fair dc
cision, against the governmental body
which rendered il. and against the gov
ernment and law under which it was
promulgated.