Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1922-06-21

I
| Cincinnati, June 19--Formal no.
ltice was served last night on the
Railroad Labor Board by the chiefs
iof 10 railroad unions of their in
teniton to so through with strike
in event one is authorized by the
,22O, 900 workers whose wages are
! to be reduced on July l under or
ders of the board
! Coupled apparently with the &C
statement that the railroad workers
| have no alternative except to fight, y
made by John l.. Lewis, leader of
! the striking coal miners, who will
| meet with the rail union leaders
| Tuesday to consider joint strike ac-
| ton. He also pledged the miners
| aid to the rail men, but declined to
state definitely what aid might re-
| suit from joint action.
The notice sent to the board, in
| the form of letter, reiterated the
rail union leaders attitude on the
threatened walkout, which was first
definitely asserted in their state
ment Thursday night. The previous
statement also includes the declara-
ton that an overwhelming vote is
being cast for the wal1out
The Official Notice.
| The letter says:
when there occurs a miscarriage
of justice of such colossal and per-
manent injury to railway labor as
yorr decisions will bring about, the
only means of remedy which the in
jured parties have is to refuse to
laccept your decisions. This proce-
dure is perfectly legal. While it
should only be used as a last resort,
our membership may decide it to be
fully justified by your denial of
| elementary and long established
rights and by the seriousness of the
situation which you have created.
lYour decisions have been submitted
to a strike vote of our members, and
we are awaiting the results of their
action. Should our members decide
not to accept your decision, or in
ton their action and advise you &C
Icordingly.
1t also says the rail union chiefs
had done everything to avert q
strike, points out that no appeal is
possible from the boards decisions
and restated that the unions con-
tontion is that the transportation
Ilaw requires a living wage for EN-
|ployes at the bottom of the scale
Iof occupations, with higher rates
for other workmen, according tc
their skill, hazard of employment
responsibility, training and expert
ence.
Labor on Commodity Basis.
In making wage reductions the
board was told that it has estab
llished the principle that "just wages
must await the complete satisfaction
lof rehabilitation and profits" Fur
Their the board was told that in its
last decision cutting the wages Of
clerks, signalmen and stationary
firemen it has stated as basis OF
faction the theory that labor cannot
be completely freed from the eco
monte laws which likewise affec
the earnings of capital"
Clearly this means nothing more
or less" the letter asid, than the
treatment of labor as a commodity
whose value fluctuates according tt
the demand for and the supply O.
llabor.'
The acceptance of the claim fol
profits, first for the roads, com
modify, the theory of wages and thu
rejection of principle that the loves
paid workers should receive living
wage are declared violations of tn,
transportation act by the letter.
High operating costs of railroads
were said to be due to ''deliEquencie
of financial CONTROL" and the lette
said that 'if the capital needs of TIN
railroads are financed by the publi
and are operated in the public in
: terest, freight rates could be great
ly reduced and wages to the EN-
ployes increased"
Says Decision Unjust.
ha OF Af hn hrT nd Il
to be "manifestly unjust" and i