The Washington herald., 1922-07-19
Labor Board Grants Re.
hearing to Cradle on
Wage Dispute.
SENATE HEARINGS
BRING NEW CHEER
Cummins Promises Effort
To Put Teeth in Rail-.
way Measure.

CHICAGO, July 18.-Another rift
in the railway strike clouds devel-
oped late today when danger that
the 400. 900 maintenance of way en-
ployes will join the walkout of the
shopmen was virtually removed.
through action of the United States
Railroad Labor Board
The Labor Board Indicated 1t would
grant the maintenance OF way
brotherhood rehearing on the
wage question. and that disputes of
this sort would be given right of
way over many other cases. As an
expression of good faith, IT prompt
ly docketed one wage controversy
between the maintenance men and
tn Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul
Railway.
Announcement of this action was
made following a board conference
attended by E. F. Cradle, chief of
the maintenance of way brother
hood.
The assurance thus given prob
ably will serve not only to avert a
walkout of the trackmen. 1t was
predicted. but 1t also may have
strong influence on the negotta-
tions for a settlement of the strike
of the 100000 shopmen.
support to Program.
Coming as considerable support to
the peace program were additional
assurances affecting the wage issue
from Senator Cummins. co-author Of
the Esch- Cummins bill, otherwise
known as the transportation act
from which the United States Labor
Board derives its authority.
In a statement issued following
his meeting with the Labor Board
members, President Cradle said SEN
ator Cummins. who is chairman of
the Interstate Commerce Committee
of the Senate, is going to hold hear
ings Immediately on disputed points
of the transportation act, principally
to ascertain how the law may be
amended so that the living wage
principle would be made clear and
So that every employe would be
guaranteed a living wac.
Regarded rs Important.
This was regarded in some quar-
ters as one of the most important
concessions yet offered the railway
unions, which fought passage of the
transportation act and which have
since directed intermittent fire at
many of its provisions.
What constitute a living wage?'
This has been the outstanding ques-
tion in all wage disputes before the
Railroad Labor Board. A clear def.
n'tion, which will, in effect, fix a
minimum wage. now seems in pros
pect.
President Cradle tonight returned
to Detroit. interns iional headquar
ters Of his brotherhood. There he
is to meet the grand lodge officer:
of the organization Friday. This
meeting originally was scheduled
for tomorrow, but was postponed to
give officers living at a distance
time to reach Detroit.
VIII Report Conferences.
Mr.. Cradle will report on his
meeting with the Labor Eoard. a.
we'll as on his conference last Sat.
urday with President Harding. Be.
fore leaving Chicago. he expressed
belief that a walkout of his mer
could re averted. He seemed hope.
full that the shopmen's strike will
be settled soon. He said only -four
or five 'hard-boiled' railway execu.
tives are holding up the peace pro.
gram" and indicated that the ques.
ton of restoring seniority rights
to men now on strike is the stumb.
ling block.
In other quarters, however, II is
suggested that this matter of Sc.
niority rights has been studiously
played up by the carriers and that
with a possible exception or two
the roads are prepared to yield this
point.
If this guess is reliable, the con-
tending factions are approaching
common ground. The carriers al
ready agreed to abolish the system
under which some roads have let
work out to contractors not within
the Jurisdiction of the. United States
Railroad Labor Board.