The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1922-09-07
Tell President Harding Old and
New Men Must Be Protected
in Strike Settlement.
NOT A nATTER OF CHOICE
Faithful Employees Have Both Legal
and Moral Rights TO Seniority
and Other Bensfta

II
their former positions with seniority
and other rights unimpaired." lies II
the last paragraph from their reply
| 10 the President as follows:
ut Is submitted that the strik-
| ing former employees cannot be given
preference TO employees Al present In
the service without doing violence TO
every principle VI right and justice
involved In this matter. and without
the Erossest breach Of faith on the
part Of the railroads to the men At
present In their seryice.
Under these circumstances. u be-
comes apparent that the railroads
cannot consider any settlement OF the
present strike which does not pro-
vide protection In their present en-
pi0yment both TO the loyal employees
who remained In the servics and 10
the new employees entering II.
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withdrawn: and In relation 10 the
third condition spoke not only ~
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 II Is
wholly unthinkable that the Railroad
Labor Board can be made useful
agency Of the Government in maintain
ing Industrial peace In the railway
service unless employers and workers
are both prompt and unquestioning In
their acceptance Of It's decisions
MANY men In the service refused to
jsin the strike and In so doing were
assured Of the seniority rights accru-
ing 10 them and Of the permanence
Of their positions. On some Important
lines 80 per cent or more refused to
join the strike. To these old loyal EN-
ployees have been added thousands
Of new men who were employed and
could be secured only upon 4 definite
promise that their services would be
retained regardless of the settlement
OF the strike. with all the rights APP
to such employment. includ-
ing that Of seniority under the working
rules and regulations previously APP
proved by the Railroad Labor Board.
"Just the Opposite Effect"
I'VE especially point out that re-
fusal to the old men who remained In
the service and TO the new men who
accepted service Of the rights OF senior
ity Incident to their employment would
have Just the opposite effect to that de-
sired by the President. and would most
seriously dlscredit the Labor Board.
THE board itself prescribed the
rules Of seniority under which the men
referred to have secured their senior
Ity rights. and the railroad companies
have neither the legal nor moral right
10 deprive these men OF those rights.
BY public uttersnces since the strike
began the board has recognized and
emphasized these rights. and to deny
them now would, instead of upholding
the authority OF the Labor Board. over
throw its rules and dlscredit Its su-
The Chairman OF the Labor Board
Al the time the strike was called made
the following public statement:
.sUpon one question the striking em-
ploye~s should not be deceived. Their
leader has said that the strikers
are no ionrer employees OF the rail-
ways and they have thus automatic
ally abandoned all the rights they
poss<sa under their agreements and
under the decisions of the board. In
- IL
the bosrd's action. IL IL their own.
Many carriers are giving their for
mer employees the opportunity TO re-
enter the service within limited
time II must be understood now
that men who remained IN the serN-
tee and those who are now entering
II viii have rights Of seniority that
the board could not ignore
what the Proposed Plan Means
on must be understood that any pro
posai that employees now on strike
shau be permitted to return to the
service. without Impairment to their
seniority. Is merely another way OF
that those men who took
employment In this crisis In good faith,
-slylnx on the promises OF the rail-
roads 10 project them In their posi-
ions. these promises being justified by
The authoritative utteranees Of the
Labor board. and thus have made pos
sihle the continued operation Of the
railroads. shall now be sacrificed In
fsvsr OF men now on strike. who not
,nly brought about the crisis but. by
heir own action and declaration. are
10 longer employees OF the railways.
nnder the jurisdiction Of the United
states Railroad Labor Board. or sub
Iect to the application Of the Trans
pessation act
In addition 20 the necessity OF up
holding the Labor Board. and main
tslning the pledges made by the rail
roads TO the men now AZ work. there
Is the practical effect on the super
sssory officers ~ 4 violation OF the
pledges they were authorized to make.
Their discount -ement and demersliss-
'ion would Ne far more disastrous than
this or any vther strike"
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