Montana labor news., 1935-01-24
EASTMAN'S SONG
FAILS TO CHARM
RAIL UNI0NISTS

CHICAGO. - (FP) - Singing ST.
rem song to 1000 rail union represen-
tatives at the Hotel Morrison, Chicago,
JAN II, Railroad Coordinator Joseph
B. Eastman failed to convince them
that the interest of bondholders and
stockholders and the profit motive gen.
orally should be put ahead of the rail
way workers job and wage.
Eastman whose measures for curing
the sick railways will be introduced in
congress late this month, spoke as per-
suasively as he knew how, even blam-
ing the rank and file for demands that
the union chiefs had presented but
which he thought unreasonable. Ex-
cusing the Railway Labor Executives
Association, he said:
1T has often seemed to me that
while the leaders are in the front rank
they do not always lead but at times
are driven. They are able, longheaded
forceful men but they are dealing with
elemental forces which now and then
get out Of hand. On such occasions it
may be possible to stay in front but
not to lead"
Even before he had got through his
song, the Railway Labor Executives
Association had prepared statement
declaring that his words to the rail
unonists will have no effect whatever
on the legislative program of the rail-
way labor organizations Their pro-
gram has been introduced in congress
and every possible effort will be di-
rected towards securing its enactment
into law during the present session"
Eastman talked glibly of a dismissal
wage to railroad labor but said moth
ing about a dismissal wage-that is, a
radical scaling down-to idle railroad
capital. He wanted the unions to let
their men be fired, admitting that
since 1920 railroad employment has
been more than cut in two and those
who have continued to be employed
have suffered acutely from furloughs
and part time"
But he insisted that under private
operation not wages and job-security
but profit is the cornerstone Of the
system"
Where the brotherhoods demand the
6-hour day without wage cuts East
man is dead against it. Where the
unions resist labor -displacing equip
ment Eastman is all for it. Where
they demand a full-crew law he op-
poses it.
To rub it in still more he told them
that he was not at all opposed to pub
lie ownership but that the same cost
cutting, firing policies would rule
if he had anything to say about public
ownership as he was now advocating
for private ownership. In other words
the profit motive, which he called the
cornerstone of the private system
would still seem to hold, but for the
government, under public ownership.
His big remedy was getting more busi-
ness by lowered costs, which included
lower labor costs.
Workers from every railway system
in the country were represented at the
meeting. With a mighty cheer they
greeted the defiance of the q standard
rail union heads as they announced
through Chairman George M. Harrison
Of their group;
"The principles announced in the ad-
dress of the coordinator today contem-
plate effecting economies in the rail-
road industry at the expense OF en-
ployment and purchasing power. If
possible of application, they would re-
suit in increasing employment, reduc-
ing purchasing power and transferring
to the shoulders OF railway employees
the financial obligations of the car
riers, for which the employees are in no
wise responsible"