Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-30
SW|TCHMEN CALL
OFF THEIRS
Chicago Yardmen Ordered
Back to Work After Agree
ment Is Signed. =
ROADS OPERATING IN FULL

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. July 3o.-The strike OF
switehmen belonging to the Brother
hood Of Railroad Trainmen. involving
more than $500 men in tho Chicago
switching district. which began Satur-
day at Am. was called of shortly
before 8 o'clock this morning. after an
all-night conference between repre-
sentatives Of the switchmen and the
nineteen railroads involved. The men
were ordered to return to work at once.
Terms Of Agreement.
The agreement provided that the
out prejudice or loss Of seniority. The
settlement followed a series OF confer
ences during the night. the last OF
which being meeting of the confer
ence committee OF managers Of tho
roads affected and committee OF seven
grand officers. representing the Order
OF Railway Conductors, Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood
Of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.
the latter representing the Brotherhood
Of Railway Trainmen.
This conference lasted for two hours.
The vital questions at issue were dis
posed of and the agreement then was
taken to James Murdoch. vice president
men. who acted for the switchmen. He
assented to the agreement and word
was Immediately sent out for the men
to return to work.
According to joint statement made
by the conferees the CLOSED shop.
which was claimed by the railroad
managers to have been a primary cause
for the calling of the strike. ceases to
be an issue. 1t being stated that mat
tiers at issue are to be settled without
the adoption Of cIosed-shop rule or OF
any rule that might fairly be consid-
cred as equivalent to such.
The meal period question fs to be set
tied by commission of eight, meeting
in New York.
Appointment of yardmasters, REIN
statements and employment Of new men
are to be settled by board consisting
Of l. E. sheppard, chairman: w. N.
Clark. NJ. W. Cadle. H. e. Wills, l. J.
Grifing. Arthur J. Lowell and 8. A:
Boone, representing the Brotherhood OF
Railway Trainmen. and the managtrs
conference committee. representing the
railroads.
Several minor issues are yet to be
for further meetings tomorrow, at
which time they will be taken up.
Rules in Dispute.
According to a statement last Fri
day by Mr.. Murdoch. representing the
9w1LCnmen, no COnLeHtiOH was
for q closed shop. The rules in dispute.
he asserted, included the question of
preference to yardmen in promotion
TO yardmasters or assistant yardmas-
ters; the question OF obtaining rule
which would prevent the companies
from reinstating men Justly discharged
in disregard Of the rights OF other
loyal yardmen and committees repre-
senting yardmen, and the matter OF
giving preference to members OF the
brotherhood in employing yardmen. It
was the contention of the railroad
heads that to accede to the demands
OF the Brotherhood OF Railway Train
men switchmen would establish the
closed shop in favor Of members OF
that organization and deprive the
n,anakeYflent Of the power to select
yardniastefs and assistant yardmas-
ters.
As the result Of the agreement, TRAFFIC
on nineteen railroads entering Chi
cage moved unhindered today and
what threatened to be serious con-
gestion Of transportation facilities has
been averted.
During the strike Of forty-eight
hours no violence Of a serious char
acter occurred. At the Glenn yards. at
Summit, Ill, coal car was wrecked.
holding up traffic several hours. The
dumping Of load of bricks from a
downtown viaduct, narrowly missing
several switehmen belonging to the
switchmen's union, was said by them
not to have been accidental