The Little River news., 1922-06-21
PRESIDENT TO BACK
 UP THE RAIL BOARD
Harding Is Determined to Maintain Transportation in Case of Strike
 Legal Action Is Likely.

Washington, June 1S.-If the rail- road unions should carry out their threat to strike in protest against the reduction of wages decreed by the Railroad Labor Board they will find themselves involved in a head-on col lision with the federal government.
 President Harding, it was learned today, intends to back up the Labor Board to the full extent of his vast power in the event the unions resort to force to defeat the processes of the adjustment of wages provided by the Cummins- -Esch transportation act.
 This law conferred upon the board no means of enforcing it's decisions. Provisions to clothe the board and the courts with such authority were de- feated through the efforts of organiz- ed labor. Defenders of the legislation have held that the force of public op- inion would be sufficient to compel respect for the decisions of the board eventually by rendering abortive any strike in defiance thereof.
 Will Keep Trains Running.
 This theory will be given tryout, in the event of strike. The presi- dent, however, is not disposed to be content with a mere trial of strength between the unions and the public. He deems it a fundamental responsi- bility of the government to maintain transportation and is determined to employ all lawful resources to ac- complish that end.
 When the country faced the threats of railroad strike last year Secre- Itary of Commerce Hoover was form ing an organization to carry out a vast scheme of transportation of the necessities of life by auto trucks and Attorney General Daugherty was on the point of instituting legal proceed Iings against the authors of the strike order. These plans will be revived if the unions make good their present threats to walk out.
 More than 100000 employees com prise the membership of the II unions now taking strike vote. The four train service brotherhoods of engin- eers, foremen, conductors and train men, with membership of 100000, are not affected by the situation.
 The total of the last three cuts or dered by the Labor Board Is $135,0OO,- 900. Added to the cut of July 1, 1921, it makes total of $4s5,OOO,OOO in the last year.
 Wage Reductions General
 Government figures are not yet a. vailable to show the reduction in wages of other classes of industry. From incomplete returns, Jhowevel but covering wide range of industry. it is evident that wage reductions have been much greater than in the rail- road industry, even running to as much as 50 per cent from the war time levels, in some instances It is estimated roughly however, that the average reduction in other lines has been around p per cent.
 It is possible that the Supreme Court decision in the Coronado coal case, holding unions suable for dam ages and defining strikes as being amenable to provisions of the Sher- man antitrust act, will have bear ing upon such legal proceedings as might be instituted against the rail unions in the event of a strike. Hen ry D. Drinker Jr., of Philadelphia, at torney for the Coronado Coal Com pany, is of the opinion that organized labor will benefit from the decision.