Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-28

clFEs VICTORY IN COURT

~ Yesk. April S.--The Pennsyl-
vinla Railroad Is willing at all times
% abide by the decisions OF the Fed.
Ssal Labor Board acting under the
Eeiersi Transportation Act when its
decisions are legal"
Il reserves the right. however, to
question the boards decisions when
ever they stem. into the administrative
Aeld, Judge @. b. Heiserman, general
counsel Of the Pennsylvania syetem,
!, tead the Academy Of Political Science
at it, semi annual meeting mere TO-
The Pennsylvania employees. through
their own organisation, are In close
co.operstion with the management and
have Q voice in the administration OF
mattsrs affecting their. welfare through
DELEGATES actually employe OF the road,
said judge Heiserman.
When q small minority Of the en-
ployes sought, however. to negotiate
rules and working conditions through
the shop crafts labor organization. the
manafement refused to sanction such
procedure and carried the matter to
the courts. \ -, 49,, ar. -.
uointment or method Of election of
conferees under Section 301 (of the
Transportation Act) was not one Of
'the functions delegated to the board,
said the speaker, and therefore 1t
had not the right to make the regu-
lations provided for in Decision No.
2'Q.' and Il expressed the opinion that
the purpose Of Section 3O1 was to leave
to the carrier and it's employees full
liberty to get together in their own
way. ~.
D. Gyo MT
subject itself to the jurisdiction of the
board In strict conformity to the terms
IT the act, and 1t will abide by the
boards decisions unless they be of such
q character as will necessitate or JUS
tify an appeal by the company in an
orderly manner to the courts or to
the. bar Of public opinion. This privi..
lege il enjoyed alike BY all carriers and
their employees"
Prof. Frank H. Dixon. of Princeton
University, who also spoke, after sum
nArising the main provisions of the
Act Of 1920 relating to labor. discussed
the responsibilities Of the Labor Board
and the statutory provisions controllisg
the board in the determination of what
constitutes reasonable wage. He took
the position that. generally speaking
the fair. wage must be found without
reference to the ability of the carrier
to pay; that wages must precede rates
and not be dependent upon them.
Unless there is quick reduction in
railroad freight rates to about pre-
war levels" or the prices of agricul.
tural products increase sufficiently to
equal the rate advance, there will be
profound readjustments" in agricul-
tufal production, involving readjust
ments In industry as well, Secretary
Wallace, of the Agricultural Depart
lnent, declared in an address today be-
fore the New York Academy Of Politi.
cal Sciences.
The "blighting effect upon agricul-
tuts of the present increased level Of
freight rates, the Secretary said, ''can
hardly be c0mprehended." a.2. *
4 1fesent freight rates impose tax
On the farmer Of the surplus produc :
in9 States. Mr.. Wallace said, which
must inevitably reduce shipments of
coarse grains and hay to the East, and
that already is causing the fruit and
truck growers of the Far West and
southwest to turn to water transpor.
tation and the wheat growers of the
West to use the shorter haul to water
Tor export grain.