The Washington times., 1922-07-31

UNIONS UlubI bc
WILLIAM HARD. induced to re-
sumo the practice Of putting their
bodies around the same table and
their minds jointly upon the same
problems with a sense OF united re-
sponsibility.
Both these theories appear to q
certain extent in the strike settle
ment plan and in the understand.
ings which surround that plan. The
strikers go back to work submit
ting their grievances regarding
wages and regarding rules to a
prompt rehearing by the Railroad
Labor Board. They gain the prompt
rchearing: and this gain Is a great
gain. Without a strike they could
not have got IL. II took them six
teen months--from January OF 1921
TO May OF l922-to get q decision
| from the Railroad Labor Board In
the matter OF the contracting out
of railroad work to private con.
/ tractors.
The board now has 1900 unde.
cided cases ahead of It on it's dock.
ct The showing aside OF these
cases and the prompt reheartng OF
| the strikers grievances is gain so
great that the railroad executives
are to be pardoned II they regard
| IL as constituting a victory by the
| strikers. Nevertheless the suprem-
scy Of the Railroad Labor Board Is
In principle maintained and this
fact is a victory for the theory
| that the prestige and authority OF
the Railroad Labor Board must be
| made the cornerstone Of peace In
the railroad industry.
But the other theory--the theory
OF bringing the executives and the
unions personally closer together
Is also included in the spirit OF the
| settlement even though not present
in its wording.
1t can be stated with absolute GER
tainty that plans will now 60 for
ward for a reconsideration OF the
whole subject Of adjustment boards"
and Of direct relations between the
executives and the unions on ma
tional scale in the railroad indus
try Of the country.
These plans will arrive before the
tribunal Of the Railroad Labor Board
| in Chicago. II no decision regarding
them can there be reached, they will
arrive before the tribunal OF the
| Congress Of the United States. They
will become a national legislative
question.
The fact is that many railroad
executives are in favor OF adjust
ment boards" on a national scale.
Twice the labor committee OF the
association OF railroad executives
has voted in favor OF such boards.
Twice il has been over.ruled by the
association at large. The associa-
ton at large has been unfavorable TO
the idea. But the executives who
gave il the closest study were ap-
parently most Of them converted to
It.
They are now able to find new
argument for II in the circumstances
which will be faced when the pres
ent strikers go back to work under
this present strike settlement plan.
Under this plan the men who did
not strike are to retain their sen
iority rights"-which means that In
the matter Of promotion to better
Jobs within the railroad shops they
will have made a certain gain over
the men who went out on July l.
But this gain Is a total illusion un'
less there is the right sort OF spirit
among the returned strikers. Ger
tain optimistic people in Washington
have given out interviews claiming
that the retention OF seniority
rights" by the loyal men who did
not strike is a singing rebuke to the
strikers and a severe punishment to
them. Inquiry as to what has hap
pened in similar circumstances after
previous strikers has shown that in
the end it is absolutely no punish
ment at all.
What has happened after previous
strikes similarly settled as. for in