The Washington herald., 1922-08-22
ASKS FINANCIAL Aid
Appeal Charges Conspir.
acy to Destroy Trade
Unionism in u. S.
REVIEWS ISSUES
LEADING TO STRIKE
"Gentlemen's Agreement"
May Serve to Avoid
Seniority Fight.

An appear by the American red
Grafton of Labor to its 1900. 600
members yesterday to give moral
and financial support to the rail-
road shopmen's strike served TO Jolt
considerably the optimism in ad-
m!nistration quarters that the strike
would be settled at the mediation
conference between railroad brother
hood officials and railway execu-
tives in New York tomorrow.
Following the statement issued
by Samuel Gompers. president OF
the American Federation of Labor.
saturday. declaring Pre- sident Hard
ing's address to Congress on the
Industrial situation to have been
unfortunate" and predicting that IT
would restrain rather than fac.i-
itate the pace negotiations. the eN-
ecutive council CT the Federation
yesterday afternoon issued the ap-
peal for widespread support Of the
strike.
Sees Aim To XIII Unions
The appeal breathes a spirit of
defiance and an indication that there
is a desire on the part of labor
leaders for a fight to a finish in the
/ assumtion that the men who con-
troll the railroads arc IN a delib, r.
ate conspiracy to destroy trade
unionism in this country
The federation appeal addressed
To All Organized Labor" is in part
as follows:
American Federation OF Labor ad-
al
labor throughout America in behalf
Of the organizations in the railway
employees department whose MEM
oers are now on strike, to resist
the imposition of unfair terms and
| conditions OF employment.
An injustice cannot be inflicted
4 upon the railroad workers without
leaving its mark Of shame upon the
record of our whole industrial life
IL is essential to the well-being Of
the man on strike, TO the wen-
being Of all workers and to the
well-being of our national organiza-
tion that justice shall prevail in the
struggle now going on in the rail-
road industry.
Criticises Railroad Policy.
1T must be clear to all wage
!
women that the policy which has
been pursued by the railroads has
been entirely in harmony with the
policies of all organizations OF en-
ployers which, since the armistice.
have been seeking TO weaken and
destroy the voluntary organizations
OF the workers The railroads have
been engaged in this effort from
the moment government control
was relinquished on March ]. 1920
For two and a half years the
railroad workers now on strike
made every possible effort to CO.
operate with the Railroad Labor
Board in order to give the law every
possible trial and to secure il pos
sible just conditions for the work
ers and continuous operation of the
roads.
Charge ControI by Bankers.
NO amount of conscientious ef-
fort and forbearance on the part
OF the workers. however, could over
come the attitude and the policies
dictated by the small but powerful
group of bankers who control the
| finance of the railroads and who
have compelled the adoption by the
railroads OF a policy Of bitter an
tagonism to the organizations of
the workers.
Finally the decisions of the
board compelled resistance on the
part of the workers through sus-
pension of work. A wage Of 2S
cents per hour was established for
sectionmen and this wage is the
basis upon which all other wages
are calculated.
In addition to this the board
ordered the abolition of the pay
ment OF time and a half for work
done on Sundays and holidays. 1t
was sought to impose grave injus-
tices upon the workers through rul-
| ings of the labor board while the
railroads had consistently violated
and repud!ated rulings of that
h"drd from the beginning
Strike for Living Wage.
The railroad shop workers are
on strike In an endeavor to secure
living wage To- the maintenance
OF the American standard of living.
Taey are on strike for the main
tenF ice of reasonable woriS;rg CCp-
citions and for the maintc5ace II
the right of organization
Reports persisted here last night
that the rail strike, IL ended by
the negotiations now in progress.
would be settled by means of
"gentlemen's agreement" Notwith-
Continued on Pdge Ttco.