The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-07-28
RalShopmenNotin in Conflict With US.

NASHlNGl lON, July Eo.-Op peak
ing for and in the name of the
American Federation Of Labor, the
| executive council of the federation
! has adopted a proclamation of facts
! in connection with the railroad shop
mems strike which sets forth the
important truths of that nation
| wide movement.
The proclamation has been for
warded to every affiliate Of the A.
| f. of L., and says, in part:
THE workers engaged IN the pres
cnt struggle are in no sense engaged
in conflict against the government
of the United States and we de-
nounce most vigorously the efforts
| that have been made to make it APP
pear as if the government Is being
attacked.
''The workers have ceased work be-
cause the railroad labor board has
made an award in response to a plea
by the railroads putting into effect
terms and conditions of employment
sought by the railroads and which
the workers are unable to accept.
"The stoppage of work can be end
ed at any moment through joint ne
gotiatiOn between the railroad man
agements and the workers and there
is nothing to prevent the railroads
from adopting this course at any
time. The transportation act speci-
fically provides that both parties to
an industrial dispute may come to-
gether for the purpose of reaching
an agreement without giving the
slightest consideration to the rail
road labor board or any Of its de-
cisions affecting conditions Of work
and wages for service performed.
"The conduct Of railroad manage
ments is the result Of Wall street
control of the railroads. The great
majority Of railroad executives would
long since have come to an amicable
agreement with the workers were it
not for the fact that the association
of railroad executives is absolutely
dominated by a small minority rep
resenting the allied financial inter
ests of Wall street. 1t IS fact
that more than 100 railroad direc-
torships are controlled by group Of
about 25 of the most powerful fin
ancial magnates in Wall street and
that this same concentrated power
extends in like manner into praCti-
cally every industrial field in the
country. Boards of directors Of
various New York banks control 270
directorships of SO class l rail-
roads.
"The decision at this time to re-
duce the wages of the workers is an
effort to take from their pockets the
enormous sums hitherto provided by
the government to cover the cost of
railroad waste, extravaganza and
high financing
The proclamation says that 90
railroads in 104 cases have ignored
awards by the railroad lebor board
and that ''in none of these cases
has there been the slightest effort
on the part of the government to
coerce railroad managements into ac-
ceptance of displeasing awards
1t is also stated that the railroad
labor boards attempts to sanctify
and purify strikbreakers and strike
breaking can be construed as nothing
less than an effort on the part of
the government to assist the rail-
roads and their Wall street owners
1--WE construe the presidential pro-
clamation, issued on July II, as Of
the same character and we call at
tention to the fact that the procla-
nation, while citing single phase
of railroad violation of the labor
boards awards, placing emphasis
upon the stoppage Of work by the
workers, sought to create the impress
sion that the workers were acting
unlawfully and called for action ev-
erywhere to curb this alleged unlaw-
full conduct of the workers, but call
ed for no action to alter the conduct
Of railroad arrangements.
1--WE call attention to the abJect
failure of the railroad labor board
and to every other court or tribunal
established by law to make strikes
either unlawful or impossible, ana
we call attention to the position
which labor has maintained from the
outset. to the effect that these courts
and tribunals are undemocratic, that
they destroy the peaceful and con-
structive processes of negotiation
and Joint agreement, and that they
lead only to disturbance of indus
try. replacing negotiation with lltl-
cation.
I'VE call upon the working people
everywhere and upon all Americans
who love justice to sustain the cause
of the railroad workers who have
ceased work as their only remaining
method of protest against an injus
tee which must rank as one of the
most reprehensibe which any Amer
lean industrial or political institution
has ever sought to impose.
"No workman, whether a member
of a union or not. will, if he is pos
sessed of true American manhood,
engage in any work formerly done
by men now on strike.
"The cause for which the workers
are contending is worthy of every
Just and proper effort that can be
put forth in its behalf.
Let there be no mistake. This
is a strike against the Wall street
interests and their hirelings, the
managers who control the railroads
of the land, and not against the
United States government The
railroad labor board is not a judicial
executive or legislative branch of
the government. 1t is purely an
advisory and recommendation body
and the public has had no choice in
the selection of the personnel, nor
has the public any control over any
of its members"