Evening star., 1922-07-01

tSOHllHuSu lTOIl Z IL 81 ago.
that the United States Labor Board is
the agency Of the government and that
when tho board speaks the government
speaks. Then literally this would mean
the arrest for contempt Of all the strike
leaders wro have refused to obey the
summons to appear before the board.
1t is not yet certain how far the Presi-
dent Is wiling to go to use legal force
to compel a respect for the decisions OF
the labor board. In general terms he
has indicated that the full weight Of
government authority was back OF the
board. Recent decisions IN the federal
courts have admitted the constitution
ality Of the transportation act with ref
erence to the jurisdiction of the United
States Railroad Labor Board and have
stated fatty that unQuestionably the
government could invoke Its powers to
enforce decisions even though specific
penalties for violation OF decisions
hadn't been provided by Congress.
The right to strike is not ques-
toned, but tho right to strike on a
public utility affecting tho nations
food supply is considered by govern
ment lawyers to be quite another
phase of the matter.
Ono thing is sure-the railroad
obey the summons to appear before
the labor board will find themselves
in trouble. Unless they come into
session with the board they will dis
cover they have started something
which may hurt railroad labor in the
Mr.. Harding would not hesitate to
eral statutes regarding the Interrupt
ton Of interstate commerce. and hints
of drastic action" have been heard
in official quarters. But the danger
to the cause of the railway unions is
the prospect of forcing action by Con-
gress to prohibit railway strikes and
mako 1t an unlawful conspiracy for
leaders to incite men to stop work on
tho nations transportation system
should a crisis develop, such a plea Ia
Congress for added legislation would
become inevitable.
Tie-Up Not Feared.
The President knows, of course, that
the men who will strike are too few
In number to tie up the country's rail-
roads, but the question is whether
he can afford to let the decisions OF
tho United States Railroad Labor Board
20 unheeded. II he does, the railroad
executives VIII 10 AAhC4y ~ AoAAo" ShS
precedent. They, too. have tried tc
eyade the decisions of the board, but
Invariably have been brought into
line by q show Of governmet author
ity or through the medium of lega
advisers VINO have seen that it was un-
wise to fight the government.
It is q critical moment again in the
life of the labor board. The episode
last autumn is not comparable to the
present controversy. for now a deci'
sion has been rendered and the rail
Way employees don't like it and are
striking rather than accept 1t. II
the government backs down and lett
the strike go on in defiance Of thu
labor board, the usefulness of tha
body will be seriously questioned. Mr.
Harding feels that the labor board i!
the. result of the deliberate judgment
of Congress, and that Congress wanted
TO set up q body with sufficient mora
power to prevent strikes, and If tina
failed moro drastic powers would bt
invoked either through interpreta'
tons Of existing broad general law
on the question Of interstate com
merce or by asking Congress to pu'
teeth in the transportation act.
Copyright. 1921