Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-11

of the Chicago district was tied in a
traffic Knot by the suspension of work
by the trainmen.
Disorders i'll connection with the
strike as important developments APP
preached were few and widely scat
tered.
An explanation by s. NJ. FELTON,.
chairman of the western committee on
public relations of the Association of
Railway Executives of the railroad
view of President Harding's proposals
and the position of leaders of the
%shopmen's strike. made public Thus
day. said that n large majority of the
public has been misled regarding the
stand of union leaders and that there
is considerable confusion over the
presidents proposal with respect to
the seniority question.
Anxious For Peace
There cannot be any difference Of
opinion" Mr.. FELTON, said. among
reasonable men regarding the desir-
ability of terminating this strike at an
early date. provided this can be done
in q way that would do approximate
justice to those who are directly con-
cerned and that will not make railway
The labor leaders. in their letter
to the preNdent, did not agree to ac-
cept the rulings of the labor board in
upon this subject shows that they have
reserved the right to strike in future
against any decision of the board
which they do not Ike.
There is only one way in which
employees a possibly refuse TO recog-
nize the validity of and carry out a
d~ecision of the labor board. That is
by striking rather than accepting it.
The labor leaders concede it is the
duty of the employees TO abide by the
decisions of the board only as long
as they continue to render service,
that is. until they strike.
Since it is absolutely impossible for
the employees to ~viloate n decision of
the board except by striking, the labor
leaders necessarily reach the aston
fishing conclusion that while the rail
ways can violate decisions of the
board it is impossible for the employees
to do so, Since the labor leaders ex-
right to strike. it necessarily follows
that they rejected in the only way
they possibly could reject it, the
presidents proposal, that the M
ployes should agree to recognize the
validity Of all decisions of the rail
road labor board and 70 faithfully
carry out such decisions as contem-
plated by law.
with respect to seniority. there still
seems to be confusion in many peoples
minds as to what the president orig
inally proposed. lie proposed simply
that the employees who struck be taken
back with the same seniority rights
that they had before they struck.
100 H. -
formerly had seniority over employees
who stayed AZ work would recover their
seniority over these men and that they
would be given seniority over all new
men who have been employed since the
strike began. This would mean that
practically every new man til. railways
have employed would be discharged and
every employe who was low on the
seniority list and stayed at work would
be put back in his former position on
the seniority list. where he would be
laid off in periods of business depres-
sion. while men who struck would be
given regular employment.
This would have q tendency in flu
ture both 10 encourage strikes and to
make it more difficult in case of strikes
for the railways to get men to stay at
work.
New Men Not Considered
"The great wrong which would be
done to men who have stayed at work
or gone 10 work during the strike. and
in helping to maintain operation of the
railroads have incurred great personal
risk to themselves and their families
BY sacrificing seniority rights which
they have thus earned, has not been
sufficiently considered.
"Most railway executives could not
accept the presidents seniority plan
without not only violating their own
promises but fatally compromising the
supervisory employing officers to WHOM
they gave authority and instructions to
make promises.
Under the second plan proposed by
the president. the entire question OF
seniority would he submitted to the
railroad labor board for settlement.
The labor leaders have promptly re-
jected this plan. The railway execr-
tives are to meet Friday to consider it.