The Caldwell tribune., 1922-07-18
X OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
X UNDER THE NATIONAL X
X CAPITAL. BY J. r. JON e 9 "
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X CAPITAL. BY J. Il. J o N q 9 "
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Settling When the railroad labor
Railroad board was created as an
Strikes incident of the transpor-
tation act the proposition to clothe the
board with mandatory powers was de-
feated. Congress fnall compromised
by leaving the teeth" out of the law,
and in establishing tribunal that can
only render decisions.
The railroads are being run by their
managers and the labor unions. The
government holds the bag" and in
case of shortages has paid guaranteed
income to stockholders. For this
privilege these private powers have
permitted the government to
arbitrate I'm the public interest" GER
tain differences of opinion that have
heretofore caused strikes and lockouts.
The labor board recently outlaw
ed" the striking shopmen because the
strike was against an order of the
board. The incident is pointed out as
a defiance of the power and authority
of the Federal government. A good
deal more attention is being paid to it
than was accorded similar action on
the part of great railroad system
that refused to pay the wage awarded
some of its employees by the labor
board. These facts point out that the
railroad managers and the railroad
workmen have offended equally-that
both have de6ed the government. If
the offenders might have their heads
knocked together they likely would
discover the truth in The Beggar's
Opera" when two of the leading char
acters exclaimed: Brother, brother,
we are both in the wrong"
The government went long way
in the war when it recognized labor
unions as an institution" The rail-
road labor board took a drastic step
when it told the strikers that having
refused to accept its decision that it
would no longer recognize them in
court. 1t was an attempt to put
teeth" in a toothless law. And it is
little wonder that from the viewpoint
of Samuel Gompers that the perform
ance' looked "bolshevik." But in
Washington where every attempt to
establish courts to try labor disputes
has been blocked there is unusual in
terest in the Boards action. inasmuch
as the upheaval that it has occasioned
is likely to determine whether puk.
lie opinion will stand squarely in sup
port of government board even
though it lacks mandatory powers.
Students of history are aware that the
early decisions of the United States
Supreme Court were tossed about as
lightly as the decisions of the rail-
road labor board. Perhaps the present
upheaval will give power to the board
that could not be secured by legisia-
ton. The present experience is rough
on the strikers, but new phases in
government methods usually claim
their victims. The defiance of the rail-
road managers and the unions may re-
suit in establishing compulsory arbi-
tration of strikes and lockouts-a
principle that has long been at stake.
Delicious President Harding's de-
Scandal mand that all patents,
Brewing copyrights and property
be returned by the Chemical Founda-
ton in order that they may be handed
back to the German owners has Great
ed CONSERVATION in Washington.
During the war German property
'as seized and treated with a good deal
of disregard for the German owners.
1t was openly boasted that German
commercialism was to be forever de-
stroyed in the United States. In con-
sequence there weren't many questions
asked when these properties were dis
posed OF to American interests. But,
at the time, many of the deals were
regarded as great bargains" The out
standing bargain appears to have been
in the sale of the dye patents. The
Alien Property Custodian, acting un-
der a special law passed for the pur-
pose, transferred the property said to
be worth perhaps $20O0,0OOOOO, to a
concern of which Francis P. Garvin,
who succeeded A. Mitchell Palmer, is
now the head. Palmer has been in the
background all the way through, but
Garvan has been in the forefront of all
the transactions. 1t is pointed out that
the vast German dye interests were
sold for less than $4,000.
Truth Will Out