The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-07-25
Regulation
Plan Of the
ment
By DAVID LAWRENCE
.Copyrtsht by The IntenSoncerl


Washington. July c4-Gcrernnert
measures 70 relieve tNe emergency IN
the -aiI and coal strike amount a; the
moment simply q regulation. There Ia
~ be 40 control cf the railroads n tna
sense in which such powers wee e1-
s~c!sed during the war. There - 10 oe
no seizure OF coal properties y the
Federal Government. but the tsderSI
Government will lend It's help n the
ALLEGATION o. such coal as - mined ana
n the movement OF such trains a.
have TIE man and equipment 20 Keep
t7en moving.
The impression that the government
viii take over railroads and mines ana
make wage agreements with employees
i erroneous. The steps taken BY the
Federal Government are merely TO make
hest use Of such coal production as Is
mined and such railroad equipment as
= available. Nothing has been dcne
~st bv the government toward increaS-
Ing the output Of coal or toward COM
rsil!nS men TO return 20 work On the
railroads.
Senator's seem agreed sha, no lests-
lat:on can be passed which can 'orce
strikers back 20 work. The issues re-
main virtually the ssme-the decision
rests entirely wI:h the railroad eNecu.
lives and coat operators on the ore hand
and the labor unions on the other.
Meanwhile a decision OF FAR reach
ing Importance has been handed down
by the I. 5. Circuit court Of appeals
which practically settles a collateral
;ssue which has been A sore SPOT IN
ne relations between railroads and their
employees in the east FOR some time.
Tho Psnnsy Agreement
TIA PENNSYLVANIA railroad has insist
Cd that any agreements reached by II
with duly elected representatives or
ucrkrren are yal:d and binding on all
ne rest. The question Of what duly
elected" means has forced the question
into the courts. The Pennsylvania hsif
an election and distributed its own
ballots and the American Federation y
Labor through It's representatives issued
a ballot and held an election Neither
ballo, vas considered proper by the U.
: Labor Board and new election
vas ordered by the board 20 determine
tho legitimate representative or the
vorkmsr. The Pennsylvania Eatlroad Il
insisted that the labor board had no
-lgh, 10 interfere and obtained an IN
junction in a federal count 10 restrain
the labor board from proclamtnS the
tast tha, the Pennsylvania had Violated
decision OF the labor board.
y
rsals and ~ reversing the lower court
supplants the power OF tho tabor oea'"
to prescribe rules ard regulations to-
the conduct OF elections "hsTSr!
spokasnen are appointed - represent
vn-krren The decision % the court
makes Il rlesr that the PennsylFania
raiiroad can refuse - recognize am
representative ot the worNmsr Tor any
reason whatsoever irrespective
whether they are employees or the rea'
or duly elected but ~ that's the cas-
then under the transportation act. tha
railroad labor board can take cogniz'
Trce OF the dispute and issue dec
sion. The Pennsylvania claimed tha'
,re labor board had power only ~hcr
there vas a 'oiur submission OF the
controversy where at the court pointed
OUT that Il would 10 easy FOR either
side 10 deadloc& The matter and prevent
the labor board from taking hand' ~
situation which crs Law ltsslt did
rot intend should follow.
Pennsy Is overruled.
So ror workman can elect their oTr
representatives ard choose an organ
ration 70 rnpresen; Them II they wish
pos TIA Prrrsylvania railroad acnnol
snt up it's own group Of representatives
through an election % its C"n making
ard claim tha, = haa agreed with rs
man and ,ha, there Is no controNsrs'
sir,pIy because alleged spokesmsU 81
the employees have signed waE'
agreement or any other document gov
erninS working conditions.
The United States LABOR board pro
gross has ben enrhanced by tho decr
sion ard the question now turns upor
whe,he- tho Pennsylvania -aiiroad wtl
obey the labor hoard or continue rs
ftrht 70 a higher court.
Samuel Gompers has said that X tht
railroads we're 20 obey decisions Of ~
labor board e. would be A factor whicl
would be grsa'lv - the confidence .
wo-krnsr IN the board and IN the gov
arnrnert's serSA 81 even handed justice
Tn. decision or the circuit court u
tberesnre 4 ster which may help "
tsstorirs The "oufidsn"H 81 those wh'
thought the railroads could through -
n.dIu-r .. fNc ro"rtS interfere VT
,hA WORKING - tho Jrj'>d Sta'os Ii
cor Board