The Washington times., 1924-05-19
By BEN w. HOOPER,
Chairman United States Railroad Labor
Board.

by BEN W. HUUFEt6S
Chairman United States Railroad Labor
Board.
Written for International News Service.
CHICAGO, May 10. In 1916,
upon the eve Of a presidential cleo.
tion, Congress, under the threat OF
q railroad strike, enacted the
AdamSon law. Whatever may be
said Of the merits of that measure
the methods to procure its enact
ment were subversive Of orderly
constitutional procedure.
Congress now under the pressure
Of an organized minority, is being
asked to enact another law affect.
ing railroad controversies, which IL
destructive Of the rights Of SO per
cent Of the people and really
detrimental to the ultimate best in.
terests of the per cent whose
leaders have framed this bill.
The Howell-Barkley bill is OF
1ncomparably greater importance
and more far-reaching effect than
q hundred Adamson laws. The
latter law related to one question,
namely, the working hours Of q
limited portion Of railway employees,
while the Howell Barkley bill affects
every existing rate of pay and
every working rule of every rail.
way employee in the United States.
Close Up Of Bill
Here is a close up Of the Howell.
Barley bill from the public stand.
point:
It wipes out a board composed
aNR 80 80
employees and the public, which has
Jurisdiction Of all labor contro'
versies, and substitutes therefor
-FOUR boards having Jurisdiction OF
grievances only.
1t establishes no body Of tribu.
nal with jurisdiction Of the big
fundamental questions of wages
and working conditions-the ques.
lions which usually provoke strikes.
1t sets up board Of mediation.
1t establishes no board or tribunal
with Jurisdiction Of the big funda.
mental questions of wages and
working conditions-the questions
which usually provoke strikes.
1t sets up q board of mediation
and Cancellation, composed of five
members, without any power tt
pass upon disputes but with only
the power to mediate and conciliate
that Is the power to beg both
parties to be good.
1t attempts the undemocratic and
un-An1erican thing of combining rep
reSentation on the adjustment
board to certain labor organizations
and excludes other rival organiza.
tons.
Bill Is Cumbersome.
The whole machinery Of the bill
10 cumbersome, complicated and
expensive. Instead of a board of
nine members, drawing aggregate
salaries Of 100000, as with the
present labor board, it sets UP five
boards of forty-five members, draw.
Ing aggregate salaries Of $340, 600
per year.
The Howell-Barkley bill is, in its
effect, socialistic governmental
wage fixing scheme upon a vast
wages and working rules might
exist at the date of it's passage an
irreducible minimum. The carrier
that attempted to reduce wages
would be subject to severe penalties
and would have no tribunal to go
before in search of relief.
n On the other hand, employees
would still have the unfettered
liberty to strike for higher wages.
1t seems to me that the Ameri-
can public which pays $4,000, 600, 900
annually in freight and passenger
rates, part Of which is paid out in
railway wages, would expect Of its
congressman the retention of the
right of the public representation
in the adjustment of labor con-
kroversies.