The daily worker., 1926-07-03
WATSON-PARKER
BILL DISCUSSED
AT RAIL MEET
Four Year Convention
Proposal Defeated

partment was addressed by Donald
Richberg, attorney for the railroad
unions at the session Tuesday. Mr..
Richbkerg spoke on the wonders of
the so-called Watson-Parker Law
which he claimed was a revision of
the Howard Barkley Bill and said
that under this law self government
would be established in the railroad
industry (whatever that means).
For "Public interest"
This law, according to Richberg,
forces both employees and employers
to realize their duty to the Public"
on the question of mediation boards.
Mr.. Richberg claimed that it not exer-
else any power until the carriers and
the men could not come to an agree
ment and that arbitration would only
be resorted to when they could not
agree.
He also made the statement that if
a committee appointed by the Presi.
dent of "Our country can not make
fair decision he could not see who
could. He claimed further that courts
would not be resorted to under the act
but contradicted himself by the state
ment that this law is based upon con-
tract and courts are very effective in
enforcement of contracts"
Peace Is Slogan.
Peace on the Railroads" and faith
in government institutions, resorts to
arbitration, ETC., "the days of indus
trial warfare is over" was the general
theme of his speech. A number of
questions were asked him relating to
the meaning of certain passages. A
general discussion will no doubt take
place when the committee reports on
this subject come before the conven-
tion.
Two Year Convention Proposal Wins.
The committee on law brought in a
proposal to change the laws for con-
vention every four years instead of
two years as provided for in the old
laws. This attempt on the part of
the ofIicialdom was defeated by the
convention. Delegate Henning of the
machinists moved an amendent to
insert the two year instead of the four
year and stated that due to new and
rapid changing conditions it is neces-
sary to have conventions more fire.
quently and also that the new rail-
road legislation makes it necessary to
have a convention to deal with expert
ences gained. The overwhelming ma
jority of the convention supported this
progressive proposal.
Proposal for Proportional Representa-
ton Defeated.
A proposal to change the present
laws to give the various affiliated
unions representation according to
numerical strength was brought into
the convention in the form of minor
ity report and supported by the Execu.
tive Council of the machinists, but
was defeated after long debate and
strenuous effort on the part of the
officials of the small unions.
Law Committee Proposal Adopted.
Wednesday session and today's ses.
sion witnessed a spirited debate on the
question Of proposals to give more
power to the international officers
and the contradictory proposal to let
the delegates from the system fedora.
tions vote on aye and nay vote, but
not on roll call. AN amendment was
offered by Delegate Wright OF the
blacksmiths to have respective dele.
gates determine the vote at the con.
vention and another amendment that
all questions decided upon by the de.
partment convention shall be the law
providing 1t does not interfere with
the constitutions OF the various
affiliated International unions. Both
the amendments were lost and finally
the recommendations of the law com.
mittee was adopted.
Yesterdays session was addressed
by John Fitzpatrick, president Chi
cago Federation Of Labor, and Ed
Nockels, secretary, who extended
invitations to visit the radio statioli
Established by the Federation.