The Washington times., 1922-12-08

central agency. This report well
deserves your serious considera.
ton. think well Of the central
agency, which shall be q creation
Of the railways themselves. to pro-
vide, under the Jurisdiction of the
Interstate, Commerce Commission.
the means for financing equip
ment for carriers which are other
wise unable TO provide their pro.
portion Of car equipment adequate
TO transportation needs. This
same agency ought to point the
way to every possible economy In
maintained equipment and the
necessary interchanges In railway
commerce. r,r, :
In a previous address to the
Congress, ] called to your atten-
ton the insufficiency of power to
enforce the decisions Of the Rail
road Labor Board. Carriers have
ignored It's decisions, on the one
hand: railway workmen have chnl-
lenged its decisions by q strike. on
the other hand. '.
Justice for Labor.
The intent of Congress- to estab.
hoh - Ahbuhdt " "hitIl runway
labor and managers may appeal re.
specting questions Of wages and
working conditions cannot be too
strongly commended. 1t is vitaaly
important that some such agency
should be a guaranty against sus-
pended operation. The public
must be spared even the threat
Of discontinued service. na h..
Sponsoring the railroads an We
do. II. is an obligation that labor
shall be assured the highest JUS
tice and every proper considera-
ton Of wage and working condi-
tons. but 1t IL an equal obligation
to see that no concerted action in
forcing demands shall deprive the
public of the transportation serv-
ice essential to its very existence.
II In now impossible to safeguard
Public interest, because fhe DEGREES
Of the board are unenforceabie
against either employer or EN-.
ploye.
The Labor Board itself is not 10
constituted as best to serve the
public interest. With six partisan
members on a board of nine. three
partisans nominated by the en-.
pioyes and three by the railway
managers, Il IL inevitable that the
partisan viewpoint is maintained
Throughout hearings and In de-
cisions handed down. Indeed. the
few, exceptions to q strictly parti.
san expression in decisions thus
far rendered have been followed
by accusations or betrayal OF the
partisan interests represented.
Only the public group Of three 10
free to function In unbiased de-
cisions. Therefore the = partisan
membership may well be abolished,
and decisions should Be made by
an impartial tribunal. II
,Fay0rs Board Here.
I, am well convinced that the
functions of this tribunal could
be much better carried on here
in Washington. Even were Il to
be continued as a separate tribu-
nal there ought to be contact
with the Interstate Commerce
Commission, which has supreme
authority In the rate making to
which wage cost bears an indis.
soluble relationship. Theoretically.
fair and living wage must he
determined quite apart from the
employers earning capacity, but
in practice, In the railway service.
they are inseparahle. The record
OF advanced rates to meet In
creased wages. both determined
by the Government. y proof
enough.
The substitution Of a labor divi.
sion In the Interstate Commerce
Commission. made up from It's
membership. to hear and decide
disputes relating to wages and
working conditions which have
failed >-of adjustment by proper
committees cyeated by the rail-
ways and their employees, offers a
more effective plan. ....
It need not be surprising that
there 10 dissatisfaction over de-
layed hearings and decisions by
the present board when every
trivial dispute is carried to that
tribunal. The law should require
the railroads and their employees
to institute means and methods TO
negotiate between themselves their
constantly arising differences,
limiting appeals to the Govern
ment tribunal to disputes of such
character an are likely to affect
the public welfare. -
Moro Members Needed.
This suggested substitution will
involve necessary increase in
the membership of the commits
sion, probably four. to constitute
the labor division. II the sug-
gestion appeals to the Congress, 1t
will be well to specify that the
labor division shall be constituted
Of representatives of the four
rate-making territories, thereby
assuring a tribunal conversant
with the conditions which obtain
In the different rate-making Sec
tons OF the country. A",'-A-
] wish could bring to you the
precise recommendation for the
pn0Yention of strikes which
threaten the welfare of the people
and menace public safety. II Is
an impotent civilization and IAN
inadequate government, which
lacks the genius and the courage
to guard against such a menace
to public welfare as we ex-
perienced last summer. You were
aware Of the Governments great
concern and It's futile attempt to
aid IN an adjustment. II will, re.
veal the inexcusable obstinacy
which was responsible Tor 90
much distress to the country to
recaf now that, though all dis
putes are not yet adjusted, the
many settlements which have