Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-07-21
Facts Not Mentioned in
Kent Press About Condi-
i;ons Leading Up to the
Strike.

ssr.rion. has adopted a rfociahia
=. ~ Facts in connection with ths
" - of the railroad shop trades
$50 ssye setting forth the important
49, IN connection with that strike
r. Proclamation, adopted In ths
- a resolution, has been sent L
~ ,afioual and international union;
al sG city central labor bodies
.a1'.,,ebout az the United States.
r. Proclamation points out ths
.sase Of the disagreement, deals witf
H. manner in which railroad policy
: dominated by powerful financial
is,sre,ts and makes clear the manner
= which the strike can be terminated
at any moment
The PROCLAMATION in full follows:
Wbareas. there is misrepresentation
= .le cause of the railroad workers
~ " nm strike against the nations
saost powerful combination OF imam.
eal and economic strength, be 1t
pssolved. BY the Executive Coun-
eli az the American Federation OF
faher sueaking for and in the name
a the American Federation of Labor.
that the following Proclamation OF
Fact be issued to the workers and
10 tIe neople of our country gen
orally
TIE workers engaged in the pres
ant struggle are in no sense engaged
n n conflict against the government
~ the United States and we denounce
n,ost VIGOROUSLY the efforts that have
heen made to make it appear as 1t
he government is being attacked.
The workers have ceased work be-
.s,,se the Railroad Labor Board has
made an award in response to plea
by the railroads putting into effect
terms and conditions of employment
songht by the railroads and which the
workers are unable to accept.
The stoppage of work can be ended
at any moment through joint nego-
tiation between the railroad manage
ments and the workers and there Is
nothing to prevent the railroads from
aaopting this course at any moment.
The transportation Act specifically
provides that both parties to an in
dustrial dispute may come together
for the purpose of reaching an agree
ment without giving the slightest Com
sideration to the Railroad Labor
Board or any of its decisions affect
ing conditions of work and wages for
services performed.
The conduct of railroad manage
ments is the result of Wall Street
control of the railroads. The great
4 majority of railroad executives would
long since have come to an amicabie
agreement with the workers wers y
not for the fact that the association
Of railroad executives is absolutely
dominated by a small minority repre-
senting the great allied financial in
terests Of Wall Street. Ii is fact
that more than 100 railroad director
ships are controlled by q group or
about twenty-five of the most power
ful financial magnates in Wall Street
and that this same concentrated pow
er extends in like manner into prac-
ticaly every industrial field in the
country. Boards of directors of var
ious New York banks control 270
directorships of ninety-three Class
One railroads.
The following statement of facts
Is agreed upon by the railroad unions,
by the American Federation of Labor,
and by nearly every authority that
has made adequate investigation OF
the subject:
|. The control of the transportation
system Of the country, including near
y every important system today CEN
ters in New York city and the main
lines of policy for the industry are
determined on a national basis by a
comparatively small group of New
York banks.
2. This group Of New York banks
Is closely knit together into single
unit through a maze of interlocking
dlrectorates and leadership in this
combine has been maintained through
credit control by the House of Nor
gan.
.. This control extends not only to
the various railroad systems but also
10 the chief industries of the country
which furnish the railroads with fuel,
material for maintenance of way and
equipment, new equipment and other
supplies.
4. Certain members of this financial
group are primarily railway directors
ana they constitute what might be
termed the railway department or
committee of this unified financial
combination.
8. Thomas Dewitt Cuyler and w.
". ,Aterbury (of the Pennsylvania
railroad, handmaiden of the United
States Steel) and L. f. Loree fpresi-
gent OF the Delaware and Hudson
!asaiiroad( who are at present leading
me attack upon the organized EN-
poyes Of the road, both before the
country and the Railroad Labor Board,
are members of this railway commit
zee OF the combine.
10. The spread of control of this
Ne@ York railway department ex-
.ehds 10 every section of the country,
.aetepy accounting for the fact that
me present policies are being fol-
"4ee on a national basis.
by various devices and largely by
fan i1ue OF the government guarantee
.oheHing the return of the railroads
,,.r - shelr owners after the Armistice
unions upon millions of dollars have
~ ~ taken by the railroads from the
- SHlssd states treasury. The findings
u Ae interstate Commerce Commits
siou ana Of the Railroad Labor Board
st.ay te@i.y indicate the accuracy of the
Ese.s,aeIt E that approximately two bill
-ea uoiiars year are wasted by mis-
Ia .,a5i4 cement, by improper financing
ri. s oy useless duplication of effort.
baas a. enormous wastage thus far has
M, NV : severed by drafts upon the treas
VI o. the United States.
H. He decision at this time to reduce
- .geges Of the workers is an effort
me- y seAe 1rom their pockets the enor-
goya. ,s-s sOrns hitherto provided by the
SoeS sSSi'.lient 70 cover the cost of rail-
fnsa aste, extravaganza and high