The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1922-07-28
THE TRUTH IN CONNECTION
WITH THE RAILROAD STRIKE

The action of the labor board in de.
claring that the shop strikers have
deprived themselves of their old stand.
ing under the transportation act by
their refusal to abide by the boards
decisions naturally exercised a depres-
sing effect at maintenance of way
headquarters.
One, Jewell of the shipments organ
ization puts on a brave front and de-
nounces the board in vigorous Ian
guage but his tone and his argument
are unconvincing. He tries to disprove
the charge that he and his followers
are in opposition to the government.
He declares that "the labor board has
failed in it's effort to decide this dis
pute by obtaining an agreement upon
wages and working conditions accept
able to both parties" But he cannot
dodge the plain fact that the board is
a government agent, duly appointed
by law to determine what wages shall
be paid railroad employees, and that it
takes a position of great strategic adj
vantage when it formally proclaims
that it can nc longer, under the auth
GRITTY of the transportation act of 1920,
deal with one-time employees who by
laying down their tools have automat-
ically removed themselves from the
scope of it's authority.
The truth is that the strikers have
outlawed themselves. The labor board
does not use the word "outlaw" iE it's
announcement. 1t simply recites d sit
uation that cannot be disputed, namely
that the strikers shave left the service
of the carriers" and that "the mem
bers of said organizations are no long-
err employees under the jurisdiction of
the Railroad Labor board or subject
to the application of the t%ransporta-
ton act" Nothing could be clearer
than that, though Mr.. Gompers in his
characteristic fashion reads into the
statement an arrogant and %tyrannical
assumption of power.
The more the situation is examined
the palmer it is that the shopmen have
manoeuvered themselves into an i'm
possible corner. By an overwhelming
vote they gave their leaders the right
to call a strike, and the leaders did
81 without consulting the cost. The
labor board, whatever it's legal limita-
tions, comes the nearest of any exist
ing body to having real authority in
the premises, but the shopmen have
rashly flouted it and now find them
selves outside the pale of it's consid-
Grafton.
Beyond all legal and technical ques-
lions, however, is the simple economic
phase of the controversy. There are
many men out Of work, some of them
skilled in the very crafts whose men,
bers have gone on strike. The mas
ter mechanic of the Providence division
of the New Haven road was quoted as
saying that he had received twice as
many applications for employment as
there were vacant places within his
jurisdiction. Similar reports come
from elsewhere in New England and
from other parts of the country. Not
only are new men being hired, but
old employees are going back. 1t must
be a rainbow-chasing optimist who can
see in these conditions any likelihood of
a successful strike. ***
Finally, any railroad employee who
reads the daily papers must know that
the public is resolutely opposed to rail-
road strikes, including this one. The
American people are intent on the
preservation of their transportation
facilities and neither now nor at any
time in the future will agree to the
tying up of traffic.-Providence (R. ~
Journal.