The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-09-24
Rail Act to
Bar Strikes
President Harding and Sena.
tor Cummins Complete
Plans 10 Put Teeth in
Transportation Law.
VIII State Living Wage
BY GEORGE y. AUTHIER.
Washington Correspondent The Omaha lee

"hki"h correspondent Tue omaha Urr.
Washington, Sept 2j.-(Special
Telegram. l-Plans were completed
today at a final conference between
president Harding and Senator Cum
minis OF Iowa 90 change the present
transportation act as a result OF the
recent railroad strike II Is pro-
posed 10 put teeth into the antistrIkc
clause and make the decisions OF the
f. labor board binding.
The amended form Of the act will
beck 10 establish the principle Of living
wage and with this once established
bs a basis for prcdieaiing wages the
law will make any strikes against the
findings Of the board unlawful.
President Harding has long been
aware that the law needed revision,
and after frequent consultations with
his afyisers and with Senator Cum
minis, the present decision has been
reached
Plan Early Action.
B. The presiednt will recommend
revision OF the law and Senator
Cummins told The Omaha Bee to-
day that he will introduce the bill
as soon as congress eonyenes, at
the special session IN November il
il meets then and il not. at the
regular session in December.
The decision 10 attempt revision
OF the transportation act is the out
growth OF the strike which demon
strated the fntility OF the labor board
decisions both as they applied to the
railroads and TO the employees.
Senator Cummins, who is prepar
ing the bin after several consulia-
tions with the president, will aim TO
re-enact the law as il left the senate
and before il was amended by the
house where the teeth were extracted
from the anti-strike clause.
Any effort TO change the present
law will open the entire subject and
il is expected that before the new
law cmergcs from congress the pres
ent transportation act will have been
entirely rewritten. New candidates
for the senate, like Howell OF Ne
braska, Frazier OF North Dakota and
Brookhart OF Iowa are pledged to
seek repeal OF the entire act, al
though not pledged TO any SPECIFIC
program in place Of the act now on
The statute books.
Details Not Completed.
Senator Cummins told the world
today that il is his intention to write
into the law the principle OF the iiy'
ing wage. Details OF this plan are
not complete, but il proposes to cii-
able the labor board TO establish |
what constitutes living wage upon
which fair wages will be prcdlcated.
Once this principle is established
Senator Cummins said, 1T seems
logical that strikers that take the
form OF conspiracies to interfere
with interstate commerce and trans
portation generally in order to coerce
employers, shall be made unlawful.
1T seems clear TO me that some
form OF arbitration should take the
placc OF the present system and that
In the case OF public utilities at least,
the possibility OF strikes should DC
made legally impossible.
Another change which Senator
Cummins proposes to write into the
law will be clause compelling con-
solidation OF roads within a reason
able time. The Iowa senator be-
lievcs this is essential to a success
iul working out of the transporta-
ton scheme.
Will Test New Congress.
Even in the event that congress is
called in special session, there is no
likelihood that the present personnel OF
rongress will pass on the proposed
change in the law. This will be the
test OF the new congress and the an
nounced intention OF introducing
bill TO make strikes illegal is bound
10 force the question into the ap-
preaching congressional sessions.
Senator CummnS said today that
he expected the senate would act
fayorably on the proposed changes
In the act, although he would offer
no predictions as 10 what the house
will do.