Insufficiency of Railroad Federation
But railroad workers have no need to look afield for weaknesses of federation. The history of our own organizations is replete with such. One of many illustrations that may be cited was the great Illinois Central-Harriman Lines strike. That affair was a glaring illustration of the divided authority and lack of solidarity produced by federation. There was the customary manifestations of craft selfishness at the expense of the general interest; the same unwillingness of the various organizations to concede the necessary control to the federation; the same planlessness and confusion in financing and directing the walkout. It was truly said that there were nine craft strikes, rather than one general strike. From first to last the various officials, jealous of their respective prerogatives, quarrelled bitterly among themselves. Charges of indifference, sabotage, and sell-out flew back and forth between them. Torn with dissention, the whole movement constantly faced disruption. Under such circumstances, so typical of federation, a really effective strike was altogether out of the question. All chances for victory went glimmering. Defeat resulted.
But could a more damning argument be found against federation than our present situation? The employers have declared war to the knife against the unions. And the latter, despite the many federations, are cringing under the blow, unwilling and incapable of helping each other. The railroad owners select one union or group of unions after the other and give them a beating, while the others, safe from attack for the moment, refuse to go to the attacked ones' assistance. Thus the transportation unions stand about shrugging their shoulders while the shop unions have their national agreement taken away from them. And in turn the shop unions consider it none of their funeral when the Stationary Firemen, Maintenance of Way, and other groups lose the eight-hour day. Thus
