The Washington times., 1922-10-31
LABOR BOARD
|SDENOUNCED
FOR DECISION
President Feels Organization
ls Not in Touch With
Situation.
Continued from First Page)
out the things worth existing
Confers with w. s. Stone.

against the living wage theory, the
President had under consideration
the question OF changing the act
under which the Labor Board func.
tions.
He held long conferences yester.
day with Warren S. Stone, chief of
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive
spokesman for all railroad labor.
he called in w. L. McMenimen.
labor representative on the board
and one of the members who voted
against "the living wage"
The President discussed with
them In detail the effect of the
opinion aimed at the workingman's
pay envelope and went into the
question OF legislation designed to
remedy the situation that has de-
velOped at Chicago.
No secret Is made Of the general
dissa tisfaction In Administration
circles with the functioning of the
Labor Board. Many leaders close
to the President hold that II could
have averted the shop strike and
officials pointed out that after the
not again bring the Labor Board
into the dispute with an idea OF
reaching a settlement.
Wants Board Located Here.
Primarily the President feels that
the Labor Board should be located
in Washington, II was said at the
It was pointed out. Is that anybody
dealing with wages should be in
intimate contact with the rate.fix.
ing organization. the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
The President indicated to callers
that he intends to recommend to
Congress that the transportation
act he amended 10 that the Labor
Board will be moved here.
He feels. II was saidI that the
Labor Board located here. II will
be able to keep its fingers more
accurately on the transportation
pulse and regulate wages with
more fairness, on a basis OF earn
inRs OF the railroads.
There Is also the probability, II
was said, that he will ask Congress
10 merge the functions Of the Labor
Board with the Department OF
Labor. wher" there Is an elaborate
machinery already established for
the study OF wages and living costs
along with all other matters per
tanning TO the welfare OF the labor.
Ing man.
Secretary OF Labor Davis is a
strong support OF the living wage
in fact and theory. He says:
IF it means anything to the
worker the living wage means a
wage on which ne can really live
that is pay envelope that will
permit him to do a little more than
merely meet the day.today cost OF
his necessities and enjoy something
Of life In ad ion.
Need Econ mic Adjustment.
ITO my mind one OF the sig.
nificant developments of human so
Ciety since the war is this frame of
mind OF the worker. In his view
living has become something above
meeting the bare necessities Of life.
In his thoughts the merely living
wage. in it's original meaning. is
something obsolete. He will never
willingly go back to II. To this
fact we may as well reconcile our
selves and adjust our economic
life to II.
I'VE may expect II as certainty
that the American workman will
WIN "akt NlIlC
him not simply to exist. but to get
something out OF existence and let
me say here and now that this is
to be regarded as a reasonable and
welcome thing.
II am convinced that this wider
conception of what truly const-
tutes q living wage is entertained
not alone by the workman him.
self. but the American people as
whole have willingly conceded it to
him. A few reactionary minds NAV
still cling to the literal interpreta-
tlon OF q living wage as one to
meet the cost OF living only: hut
these feel sure will he pushed
aside by the greater number ot
more liberal-minded Americans. who
in the future will be sure to pu'
broeder conception on the 'liv-
ing wage"
There IL no turning back the
clock OF time or events. During
the war tho workman grew ac.
customed to comforts In life that
he had not before tasted.
Conscious Of New Dignity.
HE Is conscious Of having won
a new dignity. more important
u
bility and trust In our national life,
and he now Graves the answering
reward This much Is certain.
from now on our people will have
to shape their way In life. their
own ability to e1rn and pay 20
that henceforward a proper share
Of the simple good things that all
OF US have always enjoyed shall
fall to the lot OF the man who
tolls.
Call It what you will. prefer
| to call the new wage the buying
and saving" wage.
Any recommendations that Presi.
dent Harding may make with re.
gard to insuring living wage for
the railroad workers will receive the
most sympathetic consideration In
both houses of Congress The Ques-
ton already Is definitely pending be.
fore the Senate Interstate Commerce
Committee. Hearings are planned
for the coming session. These plans
will be broadened to include what.
ever proposals the President sub.
mits involving the same issue.
The living wage matter came to
the fore in the Senate Interstate