The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-13
JEWELL WIRES
TO PRESIDENT
Grievances of ShOpmen Are
Now Placed Before Harding.
Refusal To Meet Strikers, by
Executives, Is Condemned.
CBy the Associated Press.)

Chicago, July 13.-B. NJ. Jewell,
head of the railway employees depart
ment of the American Federation of
Labor, today sent a telegram to Presi-
dent Harding replying to the presi-
dents proclamation on the strike situ-
alton and opening a new phase of
the grievances of striking railway
shopmen.
Transportation Act Cited.
The telegram which was also signed
by the six International presidents of
the railway shop crafts declared that
the strikers had walked out because
wages fixed by the labor board were
in violation of the provisions of the
transportation act. and because of the
violation of the labor boards position
by the railroads.
The strikers insisted that no inter
ruption of commerce or interference
with the mail had been caused by any
unlawful act by the shopmen.
The telegram laid such interference
directly to the attempt of the rail-
roads to operate with incompetent
workmen.
Desire To Bring About Peace.
President Jewell and his assistants
reiterated their desire to cooperate in
any effort to bring peace but declared
that up to the present the rail ex-
ecutives had refused to meet the rep
resentatives of the employees.
The text follows.
1T appears from your proclamation
of July IL that incomplete informa-
ton had been furnished you concern
ing the present dispute between the
railroad operators and employees.
''Ninety-two railroads have violated
transportation acts or decisions of the
railroad labor board in 1O4 cases.
These involved not only contracting
out work in shops but also wage de-
creases, interpretations of rules and
right of employees. to elect their own
representatives.
''When the Pennsylvania railroad
refused to comply with the boards
rulings, Federal Judge Page held thai
the boards position on wages or rules
was only advisory. The railroads
have refused ever since passage of tls$
transportation act TO establish ma,
tional boards of adjustment described
as the labor board as the central part
of the machinery to decide disputes
between the carriers and their en-
ployes.'"
The railroads have made all nego-
tiations merely formal, thus throwing
on the board an impossible burden of
arbitration. The board has abolished
overtime pay for Sunday and holi-
days. enjoyed for thirty years, even on
established a rate of pay of $500
year. tho the department of labor
fixed the bare cost of living at over
81, 400 and a minimum comfort budget
at over $4,000.
Comfort Should Be Provided.
when the basic wage is unjust it
follows that all wages graded upwards
for skill and responsibility are like
wise unjust. Organized employees sup
port your declaration of May 20, 1921,
that the lowest wage must be enough
for comfort and to insure that the
str crfrf1 for T-fn hQl ~
things purely worth living for, and
should provide for amusement, recre-
alton and saving.
Employees have never violated any
decision of the board but the railroads
have violated decisions and employees
have refused to work under wages
fixed by the labor board which vio-
lated provisions of the transportation
act.
THE board has attempted to unload
financial burdens of railroad manage
ment upon employees, thru inadequate
wages that will undermine the health
and prosperity of the next generation.
After exhausting all other methods,
the employees sought again to obtain a
conference and agreement with the
railroad executives.
Ready To Arbitrate.
Only as a last resort did they strike
We respectfully insist that no inter
ruption OF commerce or interference
of mails was caused by direct or un-
lawful acts of the organized employees.
Such interruption and interference re-
suit inevitably from attempts of rail-
roads to operate with insufficient. in
competent and unskilled workmen.
Such interpretations and interfer
ence will continue and increase until
agreement is obtained upon just and
reasonable wages between the repre-
sentatives of the skilled employees and
railroad executives who up to date
have refused even to meet with en-
ployes' representatives. We stand
ready to cooperate wholeheartedly
with any effort to bring about such an
agreement"
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