The Washington herald., 1922-01-21
Ruling Monday Will Air
Union Members Charge
OF High-Handedness.
DISSENTING VIEW
TO BE ANSWERED
Decision to Change War.
Time Rule Affecting
100000 Employees.

CHICAGO. Jan. 20. = The United
States Railroad Labor Board will
hand down a decision Monday which,
it is expected. will rip the cover Off
a situation that has been reason
for discord within the board for
some time.
The decision, hrst, will abrogate
the wartime working rules for the
Brotherhood of Railway Clerks, Ex-
press Employees and Freight Hand
lers, abollshing time ana hal
overtime until ten hours have been
worked, and making drastic changes
for approximately 100000. employees.
But the real interest in the deci-
sion. II. is stated, will be contained
in dissentirs; opinion to be FLED
bv A. l. Wharton, labor member of
the board. protesting against tho
''high-handed'' method adopted by
the majority members of the board
In dealing with railroad labor. This
majority Is headed by Ber w.
Hooper. public member and ap-
pointee of President Harding, who
is looked to as the Administrations
spokesman on the board. Hooper
is to file an addendum to the deci-
sion, ii is understood, in which the
charges in the dissenting opinion
will be answered.
This decision wifi open up a con-
dition that has been growing more
and more tense for several weeks.
Ultimatum Expected. j;
The federated shop crafts unions
are in executive conference here,
and will deliver an ultimatum with
in q few days on what action they
will take in regard to wage and
working rules decisions by the
board.
The shop crafts oficials charge
that they have been roughly treated
by the board of late. and the bur-
den OF their charges are laid against
Hooper. But the railroad unions.
not including the transportation
brotherhoods. who have gone over
the boards head and sought con-
ferences with Secretary of Com
merce Hoover. are proceeding eau
tiously. as they realize that the
Labor Board is the only rock on
which they can rest in the present
1. was stated by one official of au-
thority in the shop unions. the
board, under Hoopers direction. is
paying scant attention to their re-
quests for further hearings.
The shop crafts have a strike
vote in their pocket which. IT was
announced by President r. NJ. Jew
ell. would be held in abeyance pend
ing announcement of the new work
| ing rules. The new rules have been
handed down. and they trim $780,
000. 1000 more from pay envelopes.
Still the shopmen took no direct
action. This week they have ap-
| pealed to the board for further
hearings on rules. and they charge
these requests were received with
scant courtesy.
Plan to Meet Miners.
So the situation reaches a crisis.
The Committee of 100 here, II is
learned. Is considering a PROPOSE
tion to meet with the miners next
| week, either here or at Indianapo-
| lis. Acceptance of this proposal
has not yet been given, 1t was
stated.
As matter of fact, the shop
crafts are up against II. The rail-
roads would like nothing better
than a strike, which prominent ofil-
cials have stated o:er their sigma
lures. II the shopmen go out, rail-
road shops will be closed and nom
union men put in. The carriers are
waiting eagerly for such a chance.
The, Labor Board IS watching Sec
retary Hoovers conferences with
the transportation brotherhoods
with mixed emotions. The PROPOSE
tions Hoover is trying to settle are
in their province. But II was stated
the conferences with Hoover were
requested by Warren Stone, grand
chief of the engineers. and other
brotherhood leaders. and Secretary
Hoover simply offered his good Of
fices. His suggestion for the re-
establishment of regional confer
ences between railroads and their
employees, without bringing ques-
tions to the Labor Board, is a page
out of Stones book. The big broth
erhoods don't want to come to the
beard ans so stated when they defied
the board in the last session before
the threatened strike last October.