New-York tribune., 1922-07-01
Decision of Government
Must Be Accepted as
Final, and 1t Will BE Up
held, Executive Warns
President Studies
Disputed Pay Scales
Hope of Early Peace Is In.
spircd by Conciliatory
Messages From West
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON. June 80. - Despite
the unrecallcd orders for a strike by
the shopmcn. maintenance OF way and
several other classes OF railroad en-
ployccs at 10 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing a firm determination that both
railroads and employees must accept
the decision OF the Railway Labor
Board was expressed at the White
House after ,o-day's Cabinc; meeting.
As put BY an Administration spokcs-
nan. the verdict OF the board must be
accepted as the voice Of the govern
mcn;. and must bc backed By govern
mcnt authority. whether the decision is
unacceptable TO the men or to the
reads
Both Sides More Reasonable
Confidence that dispatches from Chi
cago will soon announce that ;he strike
has been called of was expressed in
Administration circles. especially as
adviccs from the strike center indicate
a much more reasonable frame Of mind
On the part Of railroad officials and
union heads.
Eyca IL the strike should not be
called of for two or three days. il was
pointed out in one quarter. - would
not be as serious as though the men
striking actually were engaged IN the
operation OF trains. While idlencss
at the car shops or on the right OF
way is far from good business az this
time. i; is far less serious than IL
would be II the actual operation Of the
trains should cease fo- twenty-four
hours.
Representations have been made 10
Prcsiden, Harding. It was said. that
some OF the awards OF the Railway
Labor Board do not provide a wage for
certain classes OF employees. particu-
larly IN the right os way division.
which would permit what is commonly
accepted 2. an American standard OF
living. As against these data. how
ever the President has been Informed
in some detail. and he believes. that
there has been great deal OF mis-
representation on this question.
President Scans Wage Tables
The wages which have been cited as
no, afording ar American standard Of
living. It was said. apply only in a
few eases Of common labor in the
South and Southwest. The poin. is
made that the awards In even these
cases are slightly in excess Of the
regular rate Of pay for common labor
in the localities. where the cost Of liv-
ing is considered small indeed as COM
pared 20 some Of the Northern and
Northwestern localities In these at
ter sections, Il was said. the awards
provide higher wages. The President
Is said 20 have been much interested
IN these figures. recalling his own boy
hood knowledge Of the maintenance OF
way men.
There is keen interest here in the
statements that in the stake votes
there was a much larger majority evi-
dcnc!ng resentment against the rail-
, roads giving contracts Cor repairs 10
locomotives and rolling stock 10 out
..dc firms instead ot their own shops
than there was indicating resentment
over tic reduction o. wages. This IS
Of the mcrc immediate interest be
c,~so of the evidence tha. the rail-
roads arc willing 70 a large extent 20
make this concession and handle all
,he work possible in their own shops.
Thus the motive which according 70
Ito result was Ct greater Importance
than anv n the men in voting a STRIKE
is practically removed.
There IS 2 far-reaching consequence
howcyer. in that II the shopmen can
sor,, the railroads 20 DO all their own
rerniring then the railroads viii not
have the weapon which IS obviously so
Elective in keeping their own shop
mon under control. for with a cor,
tinuance OF that policy there would
gradually grow up o condition where
there were no outside shops 20 which
no railroads could send their loeomo,,
,ives and rolling stock in the event Of
T difficulty AZ any time with the em-
Dlovccs in their own shops.
Naturally. 10 is pointed out TINS
would give the railroad shoqmen q tre-
meadous advantage in forcing future
concessions. ard also deprive the rail-
roads Of the argument they have ire
ouentlv used that the labor IN their
own shops was below par IN efieiene,y,
for the reason that outside shops could