Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-13
ORDERS TROOPS
iEl.DREADY FOR DUTY
fcontinued from page IL

ssChfcaxo,sJ July 13.--B. M. Jewell
head of The railway employees depart.
Shnent of the American Feaeratlon q
SIahor,-today sent a ~
eRresident Harding replying 10 ,hs
SrreSident.s proclamation on ,ne
strike situation and opening a new
phase Of the grievances OF stfiAiis
railway shopmen.
The telegram which was also signea
by the six international presidents OF
the railway shop crafts. declared ina
the strikers had walked out because
wages fixed by the labor board "ers
IN violation of the provisions OF me
transportation act. and because OF lne
violation of the labor boaros oe-
eision by the railroads.
Text OF Message,
1ke text follows:
A"It appears from your
sof July II that incomplete informal
ton has been furnished you concern
l ing the present dispute between the
railroad operators and employees.
s.Ninety-two railroads have violated
transportation acts of decisions of the
railroad labor board in 1o4 cases.
These involved not only contracting
out work in shops, but also wage de-
creases, interpretations OF rules ana
right Of employees to elect their own
REPRESENTATIVES. When the Pennsy.-
5vania railroad refused to comply with
the boards rulings, Federal Judge
Page held that the boards position
on wages or rules was only advisory.
The railroads have refused ever since
passage of the transportation act 10
establish national boards of ADJUST
ment described as the b bolrd 8
as the central part of the machinery
to decide disputes between the car
riers and their employees
The railroads have made ali nego-
tiations merely formal, thus throwing
on the board an impossible burden
OF arbitration. The board has aool-
.ished overtime pay for Sundays and
holidays, enjoyed for thirty years
even on unorganized roads,. h
board has established a rate Of nay
of $500 a year though the department
of labor fixed the bare cost of living
at over $1,400 and a minimum COM
fort budget at over $4,000.
When the basic wage is unjust 1t
follows that all wages graded up
wards for skill and responsibility. are
likewise unjust. Organized employees
support YOUR declaration of May %.
1921, that the lowest must be enough
for comfort and to insure that ;he
struggle for existence shall not crowd
out things purely worth living for and
: should provide for amusement, recre-
M dtlOH anu SdN1IS. LiIiPioSSo ioN
never violated any decisions Of the
board; but the railroads have violat-
cd decisions and employees have re-
fused to work under wages fixed hy
the labor board which violated PROV
non of the transportation act"
1.-The board has attempted to I'M
load financial burdens of railroad
management upon employees through
inadequate wages and will undermine
the health and prosperity of the next
generation. After exhausting all 9th
er methods the employees sought again
to obtain a conference and a~greemcn:
with the. railroad executives. Only lis
a last resor did they strike. We re-
spectfully insist that no interruption
of commerce or interference of mails
was caused by direct or unlawful acts
Of the. organized employees. Such in
corruption and interference results in
evitably from attempts Of railroads to
operate with insufficient, incompetent
and unskilled workmen. Such inter
ruption and interference will continue
and Increase until agreement is 0 b
tanned upon just and reasonable
wages between the representatives o.
the skilled employees and railroad ex'
secutives, who, up to date, have re
fused ever to meet with employees
representatives. We stand ready tt
cooperate Fundamentally with an.
effort to bring about such an agree
ment."