The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-31
RAIL WAY CLERKS
FAVOR WALKOUT
Claim That 9S.3 Per Cent Of
Chesapeake and Ohio Mem
bcrs Vote for Strike.
1T MAY BE ORDERED TO-DAY
Final Decision as to Whether
Strike Will Be Ordered Rests
With Vicc-President Riley.

By an almost unanimous vote. &C
cording TO j. T. Riley. vice-grand
president of the Brotherhood OF Rail-
members OF the order employed in the
clerical departments of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway Company was ia
vored yesterday. and has been approved
by the grand council Of the order. The
final decision as to whether n general
walkout shall be ordered now rests
with Mr. Riley. he stated last night.
and his determination will be an
nounced probably to-day
Mr.. Riley said last night that he
had pondered the situation seriously.
as he realized what n widespread and
probably regrettable effect Il strike
would have on both the railway com
pany and its clerical employees He
would not say why he was delaying
in announcing his decision. except to
explain that such serious question
required thoughtful and mature con-
sideration. He admitted that he ex-
pected no overtures from officials of
the railway company, all efforts to
have even a committee from the rail-
way clerks order heard By managing
officials having absolutely failed
The last communication received
from General Manager Johnson was
mat he had no more propositions to
make or to consider
Zig Majority for Strike.
There were 1.50s ballots. represent
Ing about 90 per cent OF all the clerks
employed, said Mr. Riley. in hand last
night. 1913 per cent favoring n general
strike, and II being against the walk
out. y few more ballots may come In.
II was stated. but Mr.. Riley said that
they would not change the situation.
time limit of ten days In which tho
l t.. I,dt "a
after IL was decided to place the oues-
tion before the members of the order
PRINTED ballots were sent to ovorv
member of the organization. no action
further than TO place the question be-
,orc me members having been taken
ny concerted action in meeting
Each man. explained Mr.. Riley Was
o consider tho question privatei,' NJ;
from ms own personal standpoint and
was mus uniniiuenced by other mem
pe's' other Officials of the order NAV
come to Richmond. said Mr.. Riley. II
trouble is not averted. At present he
/ Is the only official of the organizatIop
In the city. There Is no Officially re-
! cognizeG branch OF the order in Ricb
mond. though Mr.. Riley said that nost
OF the railway clerks here were mem
| bers OF the order.
me brotherhood of Railway Clerks
, mas been In existence fourteen vears
It's officers are John ]. Carrigan. Kan
sas CITY president; Y. +. Riley, Kansas
| city; James j. Forester, Columbus. o.
John L. Wall. Boston. Mass. w, r.
Brown, New Orleans, La: II. S ChiIes.
tampa, Fla; r. NJ Gillespie. Shreve
port La. and James ]. Farnan. Albany.
~ y, ice-presidents, and r. z. Fisher.
Kansas City. grand secretary and treas
urer.
Railrond People silent.
General Manager Johnson. of the
chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company.
| could not be reached last night. and il
could not be learned what action. If
any, the railway company would take
IN regard to the impending strike.
from previous utterances. however. II
seems that the railway company will
! maintain passive attitude
Mt. Riley said last night that he had
received telegram from Newport
News. saying that eighty-two men had
walked out Of the railway Offices there.
and that only twenty were now on duty.
| These, he said. would walk out if the
strike be ordered
should the strike be ordered it will
come, said Mr.. Riley. because the rail
way company has discharged certain OF
It's clerks for joining the brotherhood
ana has persistently refused to hear n
committee from the organization.