The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-08-04
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

|
Harding's dilemma in the rail strike
brings climax in his influence and lead
| ership. Not merely those interested di-
rectly in Industrial controversies but all
| who see in the immediate future test OF
Mr.. Hardings whole administration with
respect to congress are watching the chief
executives every move.
Mr.. Harding is by nature peace
maker. patient and tolerant. He is dis
appointed that the spirit of compromise
does not pervade disputants as 1t does
his whole philosophy of life. Force and
violence may temporarily triumph, but In
thp end they defeat their own obJects-so
reasons Mr. Harding. With all that has
happened since 1914 to vindicate primer
pies vital to civilization, there is an
acknowledged feeling of regret that the
voice of reason didn't stay the hand OF
passion and prevent the great war
Somebody has to compromise unless
war is fought to a finish and the stagger-
ing burdens of the world today cause
very little qualification anywhere. VIII
the industrial crisis be a war to the fin
ish and leave the public vanquished and
both sides injured? Even the victor IN
the World war-FNrance-ha cried out
she suffered more than the defeated. Mr..
Harding'S appeal to the railroad execu-
tives was based on the idea of saving the
American people from further damage by
a compromise which might be distastefui
to both parties but would prevent suffer-
ing to the greatest number.
Now the President is faced with the
necessity of taking a step further IN tins
same line of reasoning. Threats that he
will take over the railroads at this time
members the war administration of rail
roads and the price the country paid In
taxes thereafter.
Possible Way Out.
What is the way out? The feeling is
growing here that the solution lies with
the United States labor board itself
whose authority the roads and the
worlmen have at last pledged themselves
to uphold. The seniority dispute involves
nortation act the labor board can take
jurisdiction over such dispute OF its
own motion, or it can assert jurisdiction
after the men go back to work and the
inevitable dispute about restoring sen
iority rights arises. The labor board now
has been made supreme As the agency
of the government" both parties respect
it once more. 1t would not be surprising,
therefore, if the next move came through
the board The latter could take cogniz-
ance of the acceptance by both sides of
point number one, namely, willingness to
that as a base the board can ask the
men to return to work and the roads TO
take them back.
As for the disposition eventually of
the seniority question, it is not a new
problem. The roads have again and
again in the past restored seniority after
they had taken on new workers. If the
labor board decides that rights should be
restored, the roads would have to obey.
There is every reason to believe the roads
would obey-it would not require hu-
initiating reversal of their own motion
as might have been the case if they ac-
cepted Mr.. Harding's proposal outright.
Board Has Given No Ruling.
The labor boar ditself has not issued a
decision of seniority rights as the rail-
road executives and their spokesman
would like to have the public infer
Chairman Hooper gave a newspaper in
terview on the subject, but in view of the
peculiar composition of the labor board
Mr.. Hooper does not speak the views of
the board. Certainly he did not speak
on the seniority question for the three
members of the labor board and it is
difficult to say whether he spoke for the
other two members of the public group
on the board. The matter never came to
yote-it was a personal expression
which does not bind the board 1t may
we'll happen that Mr.. Hooper might vote
with the three railroad arrangements
members, but if the two public members
vote with the three labor members the
vote would be five to four in favor of
restoration of seniority rights Mr.
Hooper may be committed BY a public
statement, but the position of President
Harding, as expressed in his letter to the
railroads and the employees, would have
great weight in any decision on seniority
which might be rendered by the whole
board of nine members
The question is now whether the strik-
ers VIII go back to work in the confident
expectation that the labor board will see
that their rights are secured They. too
are bound by their acceptance, however
of point one, which puts them on record
as willing to obey the labor board.
Mr.. Harding proceeds slowly and he
is today bordering the whole situation
and particularly this form of solution.
Action will come before the end of the
week. Few people believe the President
will let the situation drag on a week more
without answering the executives and
thus moving matters closer to a peaceful
ending by affording both sides another
way out.