Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1922-08-25
WHO STARTED THE STRIKE.
s,or;0I from the NeW York Herald
c,u Y0rE. August 6, 1922:

|khcthcr it l., Il leader Of the strik-
>hop crafts or a leader of any
|cr railway union, when he talks
S,,, roads making a drive in this
N workers. strike to break up
raiI unions he should take into
Aouni the fact that the American
bplc are not fools.
E'ho started the strike? There
!, 4 man. woman or child in the
,rtry that doesn't know who start
IA, and who is still Keeping it up
Gt> last gasp.
fhc railroads did not put the
Sp workers out, did not want
I'M to go out. The workers took
2msclve> outlook themselves
on strike after a defiant ultima
4 on the decision of the United
he's Railroad Labor Board. They
hi out against the prospects of
railroads. They went out
inst the orders of the United
les Railroad Labor Board. They
ht out against the injunctions of
president of the United States.
IN the very day the unions went
they could have gone back, not
fihe terms of the railroads but
Ter the decision Of the United
les Labor Board. The Board
I'd to get them to go back. but
h would not. They would not
n confer with the Board. The
IDS tried to get them to go back,
they would not. They all could
.e gone back any time during sew
days following the strike, but
h would not.
q they cannot all go back now it
Because the places of more than
4, perhaps three-quarters, of the
3kers have been filled, and the
iority of the great railroads have
Sdgcd themselves not to throw out
men on the job in the places of
strikcrS. The roads, have pledg-
themselves to preserve the sem
&ty rights and other privileges
] benefits Of those men now ons
jobs. And the roads could not
bay these men and throw them
for sacrifice them in any way to
\ strikers, who were not forced
but who insisted on going out
1inst all efforts to keep them in
roads could not sacrifice these
thful and loyal workers without
lining their own honor and out
ling American sentiment. SO
r. isn't room now for all the
ikers to go back.
But the Strikig shopmen are still
e to go back into as many va
ncies as yet remain. They still
\ 80 back, not on the wage scale
a working conditions fixed by
railroads but on the wage scales
q working conditions handed
tsn in that decision of the United
Hes Railroad Labor Board. Those
whom there is room can go
k smembers Of their unions.
4uch strikers as could be taken
Ek would go back, it is true, with
sir labor organizations shattered
RtO numbers. But that would not
Sthe work of the railroads. 1t
suld be the work of the unions
lich so badly ripped up their own
CARNATIONS by going out and
wing out until the great bulk Of
9 places had been filed by others.
When the unions were in their
4ecS under the decision Of the
Mtcd States Railroad Labor Board
2pody except themselves could
He put them out, and under these
Elslons of the Board nobody eX-
2l themselves could have broken
&thcir organizations. But if they
~ until all, or nearly all, the va
htc'rS are filled ii is fact that
Hr organizations will be broken
p Will be utterly destroycd-dc-
Dyed by themselves.
sNcIthcr labor union leaders nor
1FFvrning, intriguing politicians
y 1901 the clear headed American
pic about these hard facts and
Slh truths. They might as well
81, up trying to fool the clear
&ued American public about them
'hey want to do something for
q strikers let them quit spreading
2paDlr falsehoods and get the
ekerS back to work, those that
De still taken back, before it is
q ''tc Tor any of them to be taken