Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-19
TEXT OF HARDING'S
MESSAGE REGARDING
INDUSTRY SITUATION
Continued From Page One.)

versy might lead to an intern p
tion in interstate transportation.
"Unhappily a number OF decis-
ions of this board had been ignored
by the carriers. In only one in
stance. however, had a decision
challenged by carrier, been
brought to the attention of the de-
partment Of justice and this de-
cision was promptly carried to the
courts and has recently been sus-
tanned in the federal court of APP
peals. The public or the executive
had no knowledge of the ignored
decisions IN other cases, because
they did not hinder transportation
When these failures Of many OF
the carriers TO abide by decisions
of the board were brought to my
attention, | could more fairly APP
praise the feelings of the strikers,
though they had u remedy without
seeking to palalyze interstate COM
merCe.
Law Is Inadequate.
The law creating the railroad
labor board is inadequate. Con-
trary to popular impressions, it has
little or no power to enforce its
decisions. 1t can impose no penal
ties ON either party disregarding its
decisions. 1t cannot halt a strike
and manifestly congress deliberate
ly omitted the enactment of COM
pulsory arbitration. The decisions
of the board must be made en-
forceable ana effective against
carriers and employees alike. But
the law is new and no perfection OF
it by congress at this moment
could be helpful in the present
threatened paralysis OF transpor-
tation.
Happily it is always lawful and
oftimes possible to settle disputes
outside of court, so, in a desire to
serve public welfare, l ventured
upon an attempt at mediation.
The barrier to be surmounted
was the question of seniority. BY
the workmen these rights are held
to be sacred and unsurrendered by
a strike.
by the carriers the preservation
of seniority is the weapon of disci-
pine on the one hand and the re-
ward of faithful employees on tha
other. 1t has been an almost in
variable rule that when strikes
have been lost seniority and its adj
vantages have been surrendered,
when strikes have been settled
seniority has been restored.
Tentative Proposals.
in the tentative proposals
which | sponsored, it was provided
that everybody should go to work.
with seniority rights unimpaired,
that there should be no discrimina-
ton by either workmen or carriers
against workmen who did or did
not strike. / realized that the pro-
posal must carry a disappointment
to employees who had inherited pro-
motion by staying loyalty on the
job, and to such new men as had
sought jobs looking to permanent
employment; but / wanted the
fresh start and maintained trans
portation service, and / appraised
the disappointment Of the few to
be less important than the i'm
pending misfortune to the nation.
At no time mas the federal govern
ment been unready or unwilling to
give its support to maintained law
and order and restrain violence,
but in no case has state authority
confessed its inability to cope with
the situation, and asked for federal
assistance. Sympathetic strikes
have developed here and there,
seriously impairing interstate COM
merce. Deserted transcontinental
trains in the desert regions Of the
southwest have revealed the
cruelty and contempt for law on
the part Of some railway employees
who have conspired to paralyZe
and lawlessness and
violence in a hundred places have
revealed the failure of the striking
unions to hold their forces to law
Equipment Deteriorating.
Under these conditions of hind
rance and intimidation, there has
been such a lack Of care of motive
power that the deterioration of To-
comotives and the noncompliance
with the safety requirements OF
the law, are threatening the break
down of transportation. This very
serious menace is magnified by
the millions of losses to fruit grow
ers and other producers of perish
able foodstuffs, and comparable
losses to farmers who depend on
transportation to market their
grains at harvest time. Even worse,
it is hindering the transportation