Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-23
FUTURE OF RAILROAD LABOR BOARD
ny Frederic ). Haskin.


Washington, Aug. zS.--Ths fats of II
the Railroad Labor Board hangs IN the
balance AZ ono Of the results Of the
strike that has upset the transporta
ton business OF the country. pro-
posal 10 abolish the board In under
consideration and msy develop into
one OF the big Nights In Congress- this
winter. II IL also suggested that the
quarters Of the Board be moved
from Chicago TO Washington. Many /
labor leaders make no secret OF their /
desire that tho railway labor tribunal
be eliminated Az a factor in industrial
relations. Samuel Gompers, president
OF the Federation OF Labor. IL conspic-
uous among them. They are OF the
school which believes that there should
be no governmental interference In
the controversies between employers
and employees, which combats tne
idea that there should be any bmita-
tion OF the right OF workers TO strike,
and which resists all propositions look
ing to compulsory arbitration. =.
Some Of tho more powerful OF the
railway executives are wholly in sym
: pnthy with these views OF labor chief
tana. They are the bitter enders'
who have been fighting organized labor
for many years and who believe tnat
all conflicts between capital ana laoor
should be fought out 10 a finish. The
only kind of Industrial peace that they
regard as desirable is that which comes
2 when one side or the other has been
beaten into complete submission.
These opponents OF the Railroad
; Labor Board predicted its failure when
the Transportation act OF 1920 was
: passed. Needless to say, they have
y not done their utmost 20 make the
u operation OF the board a success. On
y the contrary they have played mucn
the same game that the critics OF the
8 government administration OF the
railroads piayed-placed every posi-
Q bic obstacle in the way OF It's func-
= tioning satisfactorily.
IT Friends Of the board In Congress
y and out. therefore. will not adopt
s. policy Of non-reristance in the face Of
!, the promised assault upon Il, but viii
counter with q movement 10 give tire
,e Board increased powers-to put teeth
into the law, as they express It. They
contend that II the board has not been
j., not had fair trial and because It has
- not had sufficient authority.
lg History OF the Board.
"a The Board was organized in Apri
=, 1920 and It's first task was wage cas-
aa In which It granted increases all alone
as the line. This decision was accepted b.
no the managements OF the various rail
20 roads. However, It was while this cas-
,r was pending that the controversy wa
no started that was the first menace &
" the efficacy OF the new law and tn
is new tribunal During Federal opera
,r ton OF the roads a national agree
!, iment covering rules and working con
- ditions had been negotiated betwee
the unions and the railroad admins
=, tration and national boards adjust
,es ment, bipartisan in character, hs
n been established TO settle difference
which might arise under the agree
. ment. As soon as the railroads wer
vi returned to private control 1t wa
made clear that the railway executive
an would fight the national agreement.
was also apparent that whereas tn
oI new law provided for the creation O
' national adjustment boards similar t
-" those that had functioned under gov
ernment operation the executives wer
IA? determined that none should he estat
lished.
IN Officials OF the railway labor organ
Ia iZaions asked the executives 20 nles
sal with them and arrange for the adjus
md noent boards. The execrItives renlie
ION that the new law did not make the e.
us sorry and that they would not agrs
TO any such agencies on nation
cal bra sis. They indicated Willingness
ion establish regional boards or boards {
e. individual railroads or systems.
as These adjustment boards were il
TO tended TO handle the almost immune
do- able cases Of minor importance whi'
ted would swamp the Railroad Lab
Ing Board IL the subordinate agencies we
cts not created. The railway worke
nee therefore charged that the executiv
Nv were deliberately trying to break dow
OF the law and make it impossible for t
TO Railroad Labor Board to function c
nee ficiently.
Whatever Justification there was {
this charge it Is a fact that the boa
. was deluged with cases which it shou
never have had 10 consider and tn
this was the beginning OF bad feelir
between the executives and the lea
ers Of the workers which did n
1 promise well for Harmonious relation
- IN the future. The railroads ask
that the national agreement be abr
all gated. The officials of the unio
ills, offered to meet the executives in n
und tional conference and negotiate a ns
agreement based on the old one. T
'rge executives declined.
This controversy then went 70 {
end Railroad Labor Board and while
>. was pending many OF the railroads a
nounced that they intended to redu
day wages. The board ruled that no wa
reductions should be put into effe
gain until It had heard the case and re
dered decision. In spite of this,
the few roads ignored the boards ruli
and undertook 30 make wage redl
ana tons Immediately effective. The boa
has no authority under the law
enforce its decisions, but its me
'eat, bers did their utmost to persuade
railway executives to abide by the
Other Rulings by the Board.
,lth, Later the board decided that cert,
wage reductions should be made.
like set aside the national agreement, |
}. laid down certain fundamental prin
pies that should govern the negot
/; In ton OF new agreements on the in
vidual roads or systems. 1t also mo
eeuS fed the overtime rule I'm such a ms