Give and Take

The Railroad Labor Board took a dig at the Pennsylvania Railroad, and Samuel Rea, President of the road, made a thrust at the Railroad Labor Board. Then there was calm, if not peace, once more.

The Esch-Cummings law provides that disputes between railroads and their employees shall be settled by representatives of each, meeting together. Where the competency of the representatives of the workers is doubted, the Railroad Labor Board provides electoral rules. This fact was the origin of the present controversy.

The Pennsylvania Railroad has its own employees' organizations with which it deals. The Railroad Labor Board wishes it to deal with other representatives of the workers. Recently the railroad refused to parley with officials of a clerks' organization which is recognized by the Railroad Labor Board.

The Railroad Board declared in a statement: " The position of the Pennsylvania System in this matter is devoid of intrinsic merit, violative of the will of Congress and destructive of the rights of the employees." President Rea took " specific exception" to these charges. He maintained that the Board's decision invaded the constitutional and legal rights of his Company, that the Company was on good terms with its employees, and that " the only real discordant note is that being sounded by the Labor Board."