The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-15
SHOP CHAIRMEN IN
VARIOUS DISTRICTS
VOTE TO co OUT
Supreme Court Decision On
Eight-tlour Law Is Due On
Monday-President Amaz-
ed AT Strike Proposal Under
circumstances.
circumstances.

Vow HpTk.
cncy measures for the calling of
n general railroad strike were
completed today In New York.
The shop chairmen Of the four
big railroad brotllerhoosi~, for the
membership working on railroads
entering this city, voted unani
mously for the strike which has
been called for Saturday night.
~iNty-ninc t.hairmen were present.
II was announced at the meet
ing that the shop cissirnntn in st.
Louis. the last OF the groups to
vote on the measure except New
York had Just concluded n SINH
lar meeting. and voted for the
strike order.
The strike question. according 10 Of
ilcialS ct the four railroad brother
hoods Was,raterred to the shop chair
men because question had been
raised az to whether the strike vote
Of the soc 900 members. taken last
Doccfu Der, was still legally in effect.
The laws OF the organization require
= vote OF the entire membership for
2 senrrsl strike bat not for strike
Is districts.
strike BY Districts.
Tho action Of the shop chairmen
htouclout the country provide for a
etffkn Of freight engineers. fremen.
conductors and trainmen in each OF
thu districts success vely. until the ef-
toet OF general strike is achieved.
The plan provides for the tieing up OF
he passenger service on all roads next
"Wednesday
The -four brotherhood chiefs attend
I'd todays meeting here at which the
mai strike vote was cast. AZ its con-
elusion they returned 10 the Hotel
belmont 7, discuss the course they
Will take at their conference with the
general managers OF the railroads to-
morrow
The railroad chiefs. at the same
time were laying their own plans.
Twelve members of the national con-
ference committee of railways held
Is protracted meeting. One of the
members. referring to the momentous
meeting which viii take place tomor-
row, remarked:
1T may last for hours. and it may
not last ten minutes"
Attitude Uncomprusnising.
The attitude of all the railroad
managers was as sternly uncompro-
missing as that Of the brotherhood
chiefs.
Tho meeting Of the four brother
hood chiefs with the railways con-
ference committee will begin at II
o'clock tomorrow morning at the
Grand Central terminal.
Resident officials OF trunk line rail
roads. aud visiting presidents today
expressed varying views of the situa
ton Some were confident that large
number Of their men. especially
among the older employees. will re-
main loyal, Nearly all of the officials,
however, admitted that they would be
general strike in it's first stages.
"Tranic will be demoralized." said
ono. 1T will be impossible to get
enough skilled men to take the places
OF the strikers
Another Official spoke of the pos
tihility of drawing from the Offices and
shops all men that have experience or
technical knowledge of engine driving
rnd training them to form an emery
ency force. Other clerical and shop
employees may be called to take the
places of striking conductors. brake
men and firemen.
Have Written Pledges.
The Pennsylvan;t and Baltimore
and Ohio companies alone. of all the
railroads, have obtained written
pledges OF loyalty, III t1e event OF Il
strike. from numerous employees.
Other companies have contented
with questioning the older
mon, and especially those In line for
pensions. in regard to their inten-
lions. Claims were made that many
have promised TO stand by their en-
rloyers
II was learned today that the first
strike vote, under the new plan. was
taken at a meeting Of the general Of
ftcers of the four brotherhoods in Chi
.auo February II. The resolution
4 dopted at that time declared that n
strike would be called III the supreme
court should find the Adamson law
"a be in violation of the, constitution"
n was not until ten days ago that the
decIsion was reached to act without
!. waiting the action OF the supreme
court
The eight railroad chiefs who form
ed the committee that called upon
President Wilson last fall mt the time
ssrn. Alaansan law Was before congress.
were in New YORK today. Seven OF
them remained to watch the course OF
events They are: Hale Holden. Chi
rngo. burlington and Quincy; w. w.
Pennsylvania system: Fair 4
fay Harrison, Southern railway; r. 8.
i .oyett, Chicago and Alton: 4 r. Rip
IN. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Re:
All. Smith, New York Central, and
80 49, n ...Ae....A -. xnas.A - 49,