The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-09
Leaders, However, Predict a
Satisfactory Agreement.
Ballots Returnable to Head
quarters by August "a.
NATIONAL SITUATION IMPROVED
All Who Have Quit Jobs Ex-
pccted at Work Monday.
Some Still Holding Out for Inn
mediate Wage Hike.

The Santa Fe shop men of
Topeka voted unanimously Fri
day night to walk out if the de-
mands of the railway employees
are not granted by the railroad
administration. The walkout
will not come until the order is
received from the international
union, however, it was said, and
prospects Of settlement with
out a strike are brighter than
ever, a union leader declared to-
day. -
Th shop crafts thruout the country
are now voting on the proposition of
a nationwide strike. The $500 local
employees voted Friday night and ex-
pressed a determination to stand by
the International union. 1t will now
depend upon the majority sentiment in
other sections of the United States
whether the shopmen here will strike.
I. A. Sanderson, vice president of
the local shop federation. has contin-
ually asserted that there will be no
strike in Topeka unless an order Is re-
ceived from headquarters to walk out.
il is to decide this question that the
en-. The ballots are returnable to
headquarters not later than August
"a. II the majority of the railway
workers favor a strike to obtain their
demands the order to walk out will
he Issued and at a certain hour on a
certain day to be set later, 100000 men
will lay down their tools and quit
work These 600. 900 will be affected
Immediately and the other crafts to
follow will bring the total number OF
striking railway employees up into the
millions. it is declared.
Must Agree Soon.
1t is quite apparent that unless the
railway administration and the Off
GERS Of the International union get to-
gether within the next ten or fifteen
days, the votes of the union men will
overwhelmingly favor general
strike. The only thing that will avert
II after the ballot has been taken, will
he an adjustment satisfactory to both
sides before the zero hour" arrives.
II the strike comes. At will probably
affect $500 men in Topeka. Freight
and probably passenger traffic will be
tied up. The union men have en-
phatically declared that there will be
no violence-that men will be left on
the job TO guard the property and that
even the tools will be carefully put
away.
No Threats Being Made.
the fifteen organizations of railroad
employees united today In a definite as
sertion that they had mo desire, and
have had none, TO impress upon the
public by violence or by threat" their
proposal that the railroads be ma
tionalized under "tri-partite control, -
Men who struck without author
izaton are focking back to work in
response to President Wilson's declar-
alton that he would not consider their
wage demands until they were all back
at their jobs.
The railway department Of the
American Federation of Labor TO-DAY
received telegrams indicating that All
the men would be at work by Monday.
Start Negotiations Tuesday.
Labor leaders said they expected II
begin negotiations with Rail Director
Hines by next Tuesday. The shopmer
want per cent wage Increase. Wage
demands OF other railroad empiove,
may be submitted with theirs. II :,
expected that Hines will appoint !
board to sit with him and to consideI
whether the Increases are justified or