Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-08-16
Status OF the Striker

wv HERE do the railway shopmen who
w quit their jobs on July /. in defiance
OF orders OF the Railroad Labor Board
stand before the law? That has become the
important issue in the strike which has con-
'inued for six weeks and which the Presi-
dent has made two unavailing efforts TO
bring to end.
Seniority of the men who may return to
work had been The question TO which the
parties at interest had failed TO find an
answer. and it seemed that this question
alone stood in the way of a compromise
Now the affiliated railway organizations.
which have been brough, into the question.
come forward with the proposition that
seniority is only one OF the fundamentals
involved. The broader status OF the men
is at issue, ii is asserted
When the strike was called aud the men.
houtng the government agency. walked out.
resolution was adopted by the Railroad
Labor Board declaring in effect that the
strikers were outlaws. They were no long
or employees OF the roads 1t was declared
and the board was not empowered TO deal
with them further. The board even went so
far as to issue call TO the men who re-
manned in the service of the carriers and
those who enlisted in their service TO form
n new organization and name spokesman
u.
This seemed definitely TO put the srk-
ers beyond the Jurisdiction Of The board
and completely ont OF the service OF Tie
railroads OF the country. IL thai resolution
bad stood without modification there would
not now be any controve sy on that point
But Chairman Hooper, speakins for the
board, apparently fouoi that he and his
associates had gone rather far in outlaw
ing the men. and in more tina 4 ane statement
during the course of the strike he has in
sisted that the shopmen were not literally
outlawed by the government.
The railroad executives, on the other
hand. have stood firmly upon the board $
resolution and have maintained consistently
that the shopmen now on strike were not
their employees and. having no connection
with the companies. must return TO work
II they return at all as new men And
returning as such, they must take their
places a the foot OF the list Seniority OF
service is reserved. ii is declared for the
men who remained loyal. and for the other
men who were engaged 10 take the places of
the men on strike.
Realizing their danger If this view OF the
matter is TO stand and the strike is settled
upon that basis. the nonstriking railroad
labor organizations have interviewed in the
strike They do not want any such pre-
cedent TO stand. They foresce the POSSIBLE
ity of strikes of their own against orders
OF the Railroad Labor Board and IL is dis
turoing to contemplate situation in which
they may find themselves out OF the service
OF The carriers while carrying on a strike
The whole question of wages and working
conditions which brought about the strike
has been overshadowed by the bigger oucs-
tion of the status OF railway employees who
strike against rulings Of the Railroad La
Dor Board. IL in going out under such
conditions they sever their connection all
solntely with their old employers they as
sumo risks which apparently were not taken
INTO account when the shopmen's strike took
place. If. on the other hand the men are
sun employees. merely "Suspcndng' their
work, as they claim. then there is no pen-
ATTY whatever to be laid against men who
are hold enough TO ignore the jurisdic,io ion
OF government agency