The Washington times., 1923-04-23

The question is: Does that eff
Gent. and economic management In
fact exist? Today's inquiry IL
revolutionary because 1t is the first
direct inquiry ever undertaken by
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion into the actual inner technical
efficiency of, American railroad
management.
In effect, however, this inquiry is
also a gigantic showdown between
the railroad shopcraft unions and
the railroad executives who on GER
TAM railroad lines are still refusing
to settle with the shopmen who
struck last summer.
It happens that the Lehigh Val
ley is one of those lines. It hap.
pens also that the Lehigh Valley
has a quite strategic route through
New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Western New York.
1t is accordingly observed that
Henry T. Hunt, formerly a repre-
sentative OF the public on the Rail.
road Labor Board, and now an at
torney for the railroad employees
department of the American Fedora
ton of Labor, has arrived in town
and is headed toward the Interstate
Commerce Commission inquiry.
Statement By Hunt.
To this writer Mr.. Hunt, who
used to be mayor of Cincinnati be-
fore he was a member Of the Rail
road Labor Board, outlined the
facts and the arguments which the
shopcraft unions will endeavor tc
present to the commission:
I'VE will contend Mr.. Hunt said
that the railroads have lost $500,
100000 through a proud anC
naughty policy toward the unions
We are quite willing to take the
Lehigh Valley as an example.
I'm January and February Of
last year the Lehigh Valley, with
its regular union shopmen on the
job, made $993,949 net.
This year, in January and Feb
ruary, with its regular union shop
men on strike and with nonunior
substitutes in their places, it scored
a deficit of $1,SS2, 453.
This difference-which In q diff
ference of almost $4,000, 000-could
not be attributed to bad times
Times were never better than now
I'VE will contend, and we think
we will prove, that the financial
condition of the Lehigh Valley ii
due to the bad condition of its
equipment, which in turn Is due
to its lack OF policy OF co-opera
ton with its regular employees In
it's repair shops.
Cites Baltimore and Ohio Case.
I'VE will point by way of con
trast to the Baltimore and Ohio
The Baltimore and Ohio was among
the very first railroad companies
to settle with the striking shopmer
last September. In January and
February of this year 1t earned
what it earned in January and
The Baltimore and Ohio In do
ing better financially. The Lehigf
Valley is doing worse We viii
contend that the reason is to bt
found in the policy of cooperation
adopted by the Baltimore and Ohio
toward the unions and the policy
Of hostility and conflict adopted by
the Lehigh Valley"
From inquiry in railroad manage
ment circles this writer finds thai
it is true that the Lehigh Valley
Is still very much handicapped By
inability to find satisfactory sub
stitutes for it's strikers. 1t happens
that the principal repair shop o.
the Lehigh Valley is in Pennsyl
vania in a town called Sayer which
Is nothing but a railroad junction
and repair point.
1t is strongly pro-union and tht
task of getting non.union men sue
cessfully into it is very difficult.
The Interstate Commerce Com
missions hearings into this problem
will be conducted by Commissioners
Aitchison, Potter and Cox Cues
tionnaires have been sent out to al
railroads regarding the condition Of
their equipment. It is expected thai
representatives OF farm organiza
| tions and representatives of indus
trial shippers, as well az represents
tives Of the unions, will be on hand
now or later-to put up q plea
for more service; and 1t is expected
that the railroads will contend thai
| more service In total Is now being
given than ever before, and thai
the condition of railroads like the
Lehigh Valley is exceptional and
| temporary.
| Copyright, Washington Press Service.