Labor Peace

In 1920, a transportation law was enacted which created the Railroad Labor Board, a board composed of representatives of the carriers, of their employes and of the public, with power to settle railroad labor disputes.

Early in December the President announced in his message to Congress that the railways and their employes were working together to arrive at a scheme for settling their disputes which would be satisfactory to both, and when the scheme was completed it should be enacted into law.

Last week the scheme was completed. Representatives of both parties called at the White House and presented their plan. They were W. W. Atterbury, President of the Pennsylvania; W. N. Doak, official representative of the Railroad Trainmen; D. B. Robertson, President of the Firemen and Enginemen; B. M. Jewell, President of the Railway Employes Department, A. F. of L. Later Senator Jim Watson, of Indiana, Chairman of the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee, dined at the White House. Then he introduced into the Senate a bill embodying the scheme.

Important features of the bill:

1) It does away with the Railroad Labor Board.

2) It substitutes a whole cascade of agencies for settlement, so that if one fails another may succeed. It does not, however, provide any means for compulsory settlement.

3) At the beginning of a dispute the parties to it shall try to settle it by mutual agreement.

4) Next the dispute shall be referred to boards of adjustment representing the two parties.

5) Next a board of mediation (five members appointed by the President) shall try to bring the parties to agreement.

6) Next arrangements are made for arbitration boards, if the parties will consent to arbitration at the invitation of the board of mediation. Findings by arbitration boards shall be filed in the U. S. courts and become legally binding as a judgment of those courts.

7) Next, if agreement is reached in none of these ways, the mediation board may report to the President that there is an emergency. He will then appoint a board of investigation to report the facts of the controversy to him and the public.

8) Finally, if there is still no agreement 30 days after the report of the board of investigation, a strike may take place.