The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-06-18
LABOR ATTITUDE
ON RAIL PAY CUT
Anglers MAJORITY
Union Members Of Board
. Rebuked in Reply to
Their Statement
INCENDIARISM CHARGE
Published Opinion of Minor
ity Calculated to Inflame
Workers. They Say
STRAINED AND DIST0RTED'
In Past Labor Supported the
Basis on Which Cuts Were
Made, They Declare
INCENDIARISM CHARGE
STRAINED AND DISTORTED

CHICAGO, June 17.--Charging la =
Dor members of the board with 'ln-
cendlarism" in advocating a strike
Of railway workers in protest against
its wage cut decisions and with dis
torting the sentiments OF the ma
iority," members OF the United
States rail labor board comprising
the majority today issued vigorous
statement replying to the minority
report and upholding their action in
ordering wage reductions. The state
ment followed announcement by the
board OF wage cuts aggregating
$26,600,000 annually in the pay of
approximately 100000 clerks and
station employees. signal men. sta
tionary firemen and engineers and
other employees.
The majority members OF the
board deny desire to enter into any
controversy with the minority. The
dissenting opinion Is so unusual, the
majority statement declares. that
some features of II should nct be
passed by without notice.
Expect Disscntion.
az Is quite natural ior the repre-
sentatiVes of labor on the board to
resist all wage reductions said the
statement. This course is In har-
mony with the policy OF the organ
ization and 1t was pursued in con-
nection with the reductions in 1921
as well as those OF the present year
1T is something new, however. for
labor members Of the board to issue
incendiary arguments TO employees In
favor of striking against a decision
Of the board. The giving of advice
Of this kind has heretofore been left
TO outsiders who we're not under the
official obligations imposed by the
transportation act, tho main purpose
OF which is to prevent railway strikes
and protect the public from their
dire effects"
Quotes From Report.
II then quotes paragraph from
the minority report: The transpor-
tation act aimed to substitute for the
strike such just and reasonable
wages as would render resort to the
strike unnecessary. IL this tribunal,
created to determine such wages ad-
mits that under existing circum-
stances 1t cannot fulfill this func-
tiOn, obviously the employees must
use such power as they nave To in
fluence the labor market which is
henceforth to be the determining
factor in their wages"
That is to say" the majority de-
clares, that If the board makes such
admissions, the employees must
sarlke."
mot only" the majority state
ment continues, do the minority
step down from the judicial position
which they occupy, TO advise strike.
but they obviously distort and mis-
construe the language of the ma
jority report In order to provide the
condition which they construe a JUS
tiication.
Strained and Exaggerated.
"As a matter of fact, the entire
dissenting opinion constitutes q
strained and exaggerated effort "a
inflame the employees by the belief
they have been greatly outraged by
this decision"
The majority then declares tina,
"a fair statement OF the facts will
convince any disinterested man that
no injustice has been done, but tina;
the decrease is conservative" and
based upon evidence introduced al
the hearings held on the wage cut
application.
The charge of Inconsistency creepi
into the statement when the majority
members charge that the minority
supported the basis upon which the
wage cuts were Overwhelmingly
cost of living omparisons--wher
wage increases were ordered. "I
would therefore appear that the re-
levant circumstances (the cost of liv
ing) mentioned were to be considered
by the present dissenting members
In relation only to wage increases
but not TO decreases" the statement
said.
Approved I'm the Past.
The majority statement CONTINUES
with a discussion of the economi'
and physical conditions with regarC