The New York herald., 1922-08-02
Continued from First Page.

CARNATIONS especially agree that
there will be no discrimination by
either party against the employees
who did or did not strike"
The railroad executives and man
ayers agree entirely with the Presi-
dents statement in his letter that 1t
is wholly unthinkable that the
railroad labor board can be made
a useful agency of the Government
in maintaining industrial peace in
the railway service, unless employ
ers and workers are both prompt
and unquestioning in their accept
ance of its decisions. l think 1T is
more desirable than I know how to
express to have established the un-
challenged authority of the rail-
road labor board, because we must
do those things which are necessary
to bring about the recognition OF
suitable authority to decide and end
such disputes as menace the con-
tinuity Of transportation"
BY this language the President
has expressed with great force and
cfearness the policy which We advo-
cate. But the decisions OF the rail-
road labor board were outed and
defied by the six organizations COM
prising the federated shop crafts;
the strike was called to take effect
July /, 1922. and even the summons
of the board to apear with the rail-
road executives before the labor
board. after the strike was called
and before it took effect. was con-
temptuously ignored by the leaders
of the strikers. who refused to at
Ntend the hearing. Thereupon 1t be-
came the plain duty of the railroads
actively and vigorously to undertake
to uphold the orderly processes for
the adjustment Of industrial dis
putes contemplated by the statute
creating the labor board and repre-
presented by the decisions OF that
board against which the strike in
question was directed and at the
same time continue to the best OF
their ability to discharge their duty
to the public as common carriers.
Many men in the service refused
to Join the strike and in so doing
were assured OF the seniority rights
accruing to them and Of the per-
manence of their positions. On some
important lines SO per cent. or more
refused to join the strike. To these
old loyal employees have been added
thousands of new men who were
employed and could be secured only
upon o. definite promise that their
services would be retained regard
less of the settlement of the strike,
with all the rights appertaining to
such employment. including that OF
seniority under the working rules
and regulations previously approved
by the Railroad Labor Board. We
especially point out that a refusal
to the old men who remained In the
service and to the new men who as
cepted service of the rights or SEMI
ority incident to their employment
would have just the opposite effect
to that desired by the President, and
would most seriously discredit the
Labor Board. The board itself pre-
scribed the rules of seniority under
which the men referred to have Sc
cured their seniority rights, and the
railroad companies have neither the
legal nor moral right to deprive
these men of those rights. BY pub
lie utterances since the strike began
the board has recognized and en-
phasized these rights. and to deny
them now would. instead of uphold
ing the authority of the labor board,
overthrow it's rules and discredit its
authority.
The chairman or the Labor Board
at the time the strike was called
made the following public state
ment:
Upon one question the striking
EMPLOYEES should not be deceived.
Their leader has said that the strik-
ers are no longer employees OF the
railways and they have thus auto
maticaliy abandoned all the rights
they possess under their agreements
and under the decisions OF the board,
including their seniority. This Is
not the boards action. II Us their
own.
Many carriers are giving their
former employees the opportunity
TO reenter the service within 9 linn
tied time. 1t must be understood