Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-06-28

national SpoheSmen of the conflicting
interests who might be able TO halt a
nation wide withdrawal Of men from
employment in the railway service. if
the railway executives sincerely de-
sired to avoid this consequence of
their previous course OF action"
Form the reason the telegram
said, lin behalf of and by the author
ity of the executive council of tho
Railway Employees department, |
am informing you and through YOU
in forming the responsible heads of
the various railway systems in the
United States and also the Pullman
Company, most of which are rep
resented IL the Association Of Rail-
way Executives, t'rat unless an i'm
mediate angcmtnt can be made
G); 70 Continue TIC payment Of the
wages at present in force.
"(9: To restore operation under
rules six, e II, twelve. fourteen, fifteen,
fOrty-siX and III, as they existed
prior to the amendments thereof
proposed il decision 90; and
"(3): II discon >inue the contract
ing out >. work and shops pending
ncgotiations hetNcCL the Association
Of Railway Executives and the rail
way employees department looking
toward 'iustmcnt Of the existing
disputes Dpon these questions, a
sanction OF withdra wal fr0'n en-
plrymcnt on July |, 1922, As vated by
;iIc employ ecs, will he unavuidable."
The three points on Which the
employees demands are IDENTICAL
with tn three questions on rn-ch the
Unions ale now complet.r3 their
strike ballot.
The first ballot covers the s@0. 000,-
HcC wage cut ordered by tic Eoard,
effective JIly l. The second ballot
involves seven rules regard II. over
ume and physical examinations,
fought principally by tie men
because they wiped out time and one
half pay for overtime and Sunday
work.
The third strike question involved
the practice of numerous roads in
farming out certain work, declared
to be in order to avoid the rulings
on wages and working conditions by
the Federal Labor Board.
1t was learned that the general
Cmmittee of the Federated Shop
CIalt would continue their meetings
tomorrow with the drafting of 4
stlike program the subject of their
discussions.
Blame for the entire strike situa-
ton was placed squarcly on the
shoulders of the railway executive.
ny President Jewell telegram HI
declared that the passage of the
transportation act mad resulted in 4
series of controversies between TIC
rn7ds and their employees which hsd
devcOpcd a situation whrcin nearly
one million men .; two thirds uf
those in railroad employ today ar.
taking strike vote.
Beside the slcI men the mdintcn
ance of ray l4horcrs. frcman and
oilers and part Of ihe clerks aud sig-
nal men are balloting on this strnc
question,
The telegram TpSied rail wei g
since the passage Of the transpOrta-
ton act and dWelt strongly on the
refusal of the executives to establish
boards Of labor adjustment, provided
for in the act, to settle local or reg
ional disputes.
1T thus became evident early in
the development of the present con-
trOversies," said the telegram, that
the purposes of the carriers in deal
ing with their employees were:
'First. to orgsnize arrangements for
national action in support of uniform
policies:
Second, to avoid negotiations with
the employees organized likewise for
national action.
Third. to attempt to impose the ma
tional policies ot management upon To-
cal organizations ON employees;
Fourth. upcn the inevitable failure
of such unfair methods of negotiations
to throw upon railroad labor board an
unintended ana impossible burden of
arbitration"
The message also condemned the ex-
ocutives for their stand on natio,ai
agreements. Wage reductions bv the
railroad labor beard were likewise cor-
demned. the disputes coming before ~
board the telegram said. because ..ro
real attempt was made TO noyn.i..
wage agreements, but merely ..,,,1,,,,