Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-07-13
ROADS VIOLATE ACT,
JEWELL ASSERTS IN
REPLY TO HARDING
81 Executives Disregarded the
Transportation Law in 1o4
Cases, He Says.
STRIKERS NOT DISORDERLY

BY Associated Press to Every Evening.
Chicago. July 13.--B. NJ. Jewell. head
OF the railway employees department
Of the American Federation OF Labor.
today sent n telegram to President
Harding replying to the Presidents
proclamation on the strike situation.
and opening a new phase OF the
grievances OF striking railway shop
men.
The telegram. which also was 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 decision
by the railroads.
| The strikers insisted that no inter
runtion of commerce or interference
with the mail had been caused by an
unlawful act by the shopmen. The tel
egram laid such interference directly
to the attempt Of the railroads To op-
crate with incompetent workmen.
President Jewell and his associates
reiterated their desire to cooperate in
any effort to bring peace. hut declared
that up to the present the rail excCu-
tives had refused TO meet the repre-
sentetives Of the men.
The text follows;
II appears from your proclamation
OF July II that Incomplete informa-
tion has been furnished you concern
ing the present dispute between the
railroad operators and employee.
Ninety two railroads have violated
the transportation acts or decisions of
the Railroad Labor Board in i04 cases.
These involved not only contracting
out work in shops but also wage de
creases. interpret stione Cf rules and
right OF employees TO elect their own
representatives When The Pennsyl-
vania Railroad refused to comply with
the Boards rulings. Federal Judge
Page held that the Boards position
on wages or rules was only advisory.
The railroads have refused ever since
passage cf the transportation act to
establish national boards OF adjust
ment described by the Labor Board 'ae
the central part 81 the machinery to
decide disputes between the carriers
and their employees
The railroads have made all nego-
tiations merely formal. thus throwing
on the board an Impossible burden
Of arbitration The Board has abolish
cd overtime pay for Sundays and holi-
days, enjoyed for thirty years even
on unorganized roads. The board has
established = rate Of pay Of $500 a
year though the department OF labor
fixed the bare cost OF living at o:er
$1,000 and minimum comfort budget
at over s2,S0O
When the basic wage is unjust Il
follows that all wages graded up
wards for skill and responsibility are
likewise unjust. Organized employees
support Your decision of May %. 1921
that the lowest wage would not be
enough for comfort and 10 insure that
the struggle for existence shall nov
crowd out things purely worth living
for and should provide for amusement;
recreatio and saving. Employees have
never violated any decision Of the
board but he railroads have violated
decisions and employees have refused
70 work under wages fixed by the La
Dor Board which violated provisions OF
the transportation act
The board has attempted to unload
iiiai idA buiutHS pl lHllEOaQ manage
ment upon employees through made
quate wages, and this 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. Only as
last resort did they strike We re-
spectful!y insist that no interruption
OF commerce or Interference OF mails
was caused by direct or unlawful acts
Of the orga nized employees. Such in
terruptions and interference result
inevitably from attempts OF railroads
to operate with insufficient. incompe-
tent and unskilled workmeu
such Interruptions and Interference
will continue and increase until agree
ment is obtained upon just and reas-
enable wages between the representa-
tives of the skilled employees and rail
road executives. who, up TO date, have
refused even 10 meet with EMPLOYEES
representatives We stand ready to CO.
operate whole heartedly with any eff
fort 10 bring about such an agree
ment."