Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-08-17
ROADS STAND BY
LOYAL EMPLOYEES
Tell President Harding Old and
New Men Must Be Projected
In Strike Settlement.
NOT a MATTER OF CHOICE
Faithful Employees Have Both legal
and Moral Rights 70 Seniority
and Other Benefits. zsi az

NO. = slffftffs 2
New York.--The keynote Of the re-
ply made by railway executives repre-
senting more than 1870 Class ! Rail.
roads Of the United States to the prop
osition of President Harding, that AL
strikers be returned to their work ana
their former positions with seniority
and other rights unimpaired," Hes In
the last paragraph from their reply
to the President as follows;
at is submitted that the strik-
ing former employees cannot be given
preference to employees at present In
the service without doing violence to
every principle Of right and justice
involved IN this matter. and without
the grossest breach of faith on the
part Of the railroads to the men ~ z
present In theik service,
.'Under these circumstances. II pe-
comes apparent that the raireaos
cannot consider any settlement OF the
present strike which does not pre-
vide protection In their present en-
ployment both to the loyal employees
who remained in the service and 10
fine new employees entering Il.
The executives had accepted the
first two conditions proposed by the
President, namely, that both employ
ers and employees accept the decisions
Of the Labor Board and that all law
suits growing out Of the strike be
withdrawn: and In relation TO the
third condition spoke not only as
quoted above, but also as follows:
Agree With the President =
"The railroad executives and man
ayers agree entirely with the Presi'
dents statement in his letter that IL is
wholly unthinkable that the Railt0ad
Labor Board can be made a useful
agency of the Government in maintain
ing industrial peace in the railway
service unless employers and workers
are both prompt and unQuestioning fn
their acceptance Of Its decisions ~
"Many men in the service refused TO
join the strike and in SO doing were
assured of the seniority rights aceru'
ing to them and Of the permunenee
Of their positions. On seMe important
lines so per cent. or mose refused 70
ioin the strike. To these old loyal EN-
ployees have been added thousands
of new men who were employed and
could he secured only upon a. definite
promise that their services would DC
retained regardless Of the settlement
of the strike, with all the rights 81,
| pertaining to such employment, incaud
ing that Of seniority under the workiui
rules and regulations previously ap
proved by the Railroad Labor Board
"Just the Opposite Effect" 'llF
.We especially point out that a re
| fusal to the old men who remained II
the service and to the new men witt
accented service of the rights OF senior
ity incident to their employment woul'
have, Just the opposite effect to that dc
sired by the President, and would mos
seriously dlscredit the Labor Board.
.srhe board itself prescribed tn
rules Of seniority under Ehich tn, me
referred to have secured their senici
ity rights, and the railroad companie
hare neither the legal nor moral rish
to deprive these men of those right'
By public utterances since the strik
began the beard has recognized an
emphasized these rights, and to den
them now would, instead Of, nphoidin
the authority, of the Labor Board owe
throw It's rules and discredit Its a.
thority.
"The Chairman OF the Labor Boar
, at the time the strike was called mad
the following public statement:
upon one question the striking em-
ployees should not be deceived. Their
leader has said that the strikers
are no longer employees Of the ran
ways, and they have thus. autpmattc-
ally abandoned all the, rights they
) possess under their agreements anu
under the decisions OF the board. In
Guiding their seniority. This Us not
the boards action, 1t Is thelr own.
: "Many carriers are giving Their for
I ner employeesithe opportunity 70 re-
enter the service within a limited
: time. u must be undeTstoou now
that men who remained III the serv-
ice and those who are now entering
> 1t will have rights OF seniority Sthal
the board could not ignore"
What the Proposed Plan Means
: ut must be understood that any pl
a posal TINT employees now on stri
: shall be permitted to return to t
e service, without impairment to TIN
/. seniority, is merely another way
suggesting that those men who to
!, employment in this crisis in good fall
Y relying on the promises of the rs
5 roads to protect them in their pc
s lions, these promises being Justified
S the authoritative utterances of
Labor Board, and thus have made p
!. sible the continued operation Of
railroads, shall now be sacrificed
q favor of men now on strike, who
a only brought about the crisis, but,
] their own action and declaration.
=, no longer employees Of the railwa
I! under the Jurisdiction Of tile Uni
States Railroad Labor Board, Or $
- ject to the application Of the Ira
I portation act.
ain addition to the necessity OF