Evening star., 1925-02-17
RAILWAY EMPLOYEES
SCORE EXECUTIVES
Declare Companies Have
Blocked Legislation Design
ed for Industrial Peace.
DY DAVID LAWRENCE.

DY DAVID LAWRENCE.
The organized railway employees
have answered what they construe
to be declaration Of war on them
by the railroad executives.
A common program OF defense" is
announced. by the employees stimuli
taneously with a confession that
the railroads have succeeded for the
time being in blocking legislation
that was designed to bring peace in
the transportation world.
Donald Richberg. counsel for the
employees, has made public a state
ment by a subcommittee Of 20 rail-
way labor organizations which Is to
be submitted for consideration at a
meeting Of chief executives of these
organizations In Chicago on Friday.
Gives Labor Viewpoint.
This statement discloses from the
labor viewpoint what has been going
on for several weeks, Mr.. Richberg
says:
Blessed are the peace makers
The organized railway employees
sought to establish Industrial peace
on the railroads.
"They sought the aid of public Of
ficials to protect the public interests
In transportation service.
They sought the aid Of railway
presidents to promote continuous and
efficient operation of the roads.
The highest Government officials
welcomed the peace maker.
THE President and his cabinet
leaders Of both Houses of Congress,
gave their time generously and SYM
pathetically to the work Of peace.
THE railway presidents did not
want peace. They hired a gang of
publicity agents to throw mud at the
peacemakers and their friends.
The highest public officials Of the
Nation asked the railway presidents
to attend a peace conference.-the end
industrial warfare on the railways-
TO Join 1 nwriting a law of peace.
THE railway presidents refused even
to attend a conference to discuss
peace.
1.-THE railway presidents are making
war upon their employees. They do not
want the war stopped.
The railway presidents want to go
on fighting. no matter how much the
public suffers.
fight. They do not want the public
to help them make peace. Blessed are
the peacemakers. but not on the rail-
ways"
Hovvell-Barkley Bill Cited.
There follows a story of what hap
pened to the Howell-Barkley bill. 1t
asked the railway presidents to join
the employees In conference on the
bill before 1t was introduced. that the
railroads refused, and that the war
has continued ever since.
Back OF the fight between the rail-
ways and their employees is a politi-
cal struggle. Unquestionably the
railroad employees were led to sup
port the La Toilette movement be-
cause they thought their power
would be increased. President Cool
idge has not been hostile to these
labor elements but has in his mes
sage to Congress used language
which they construe as an indorse-
ment Of their efforts for collective
bargaining and voluntary meditation.
1t is significant that Mr.. Richberg
sketches the future with a denial of
any political motives or plans for
Government ownership. Mr.. RichberE
adds:
Position Of Employes Outlined.
The proper position to be taken by
the organization OF railway employees
seems clear. They are and will re-
main independent. self-Eovernfns or
ganizations, but, as they have CO.
operated in the matter Of the Howell
Barkley bill. SO they can cooperate
in protection Of their common In
terests against the organized hos
tility Of the railway presidents. In
order to prevent Misunderstanding Of
the cause and purpose of any common
action OF these organizations, 1t may
be well to state clearly what their
Intentions are not, as well as what
their intentions are.
Tho railway organizations have
no program Of attack upon the rail-
roads. Despite malicious propaganda
to the contrary, they have no common
program except that all are seeking
through collective bargaining and
through honest representation Of en-
ploye interests to protect and ad-
vance the interests Of tho men who
work upon the railroads, with due
regard for the public and private in
terests involved. They are not try
ing to bring about Government own
ershtp, They are not seeking to con-
troll the operation Of the railroads
They have no common political policy
or common political theories to ad-
vance except that they all believe in
democracy and that they are all op-
posed to autocracy alike in govern
ment and industry.
They all believe In the right of
representation and government by
consent Of tho governed alike in
government and industry. They be-
lieve that honest collective bargain
ing Is necessary for industrial peace.
They have a common program Of
peace, but If the railroad presiden
are determined to make war upon
them day in and day out these or
ganizations win seek a common pro-
gram Of defense"
Fail to State Method Of Defense.
Nothing further Is said rs to what
the weapons of defense will be, a
strike or counter attack through
political channels on, for instance,
tho famous earning clause Of the
transportation act, or other things
dear to the railroads.
Mr.. RchberGs pronouncement Is
tho first since last Summer, when he
accused many newspapers and news
agencies OF suppressing or misrepre-
senting the labor side Of the contro.
versy over the Howell.Barkiey bill.
The foregoing excerpt contains the
essential points In the argument Of
the railway employees.
Copyright, 1e25.)