Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-28
UNION HEADS
SEND APPEAL
TO WORKERS
Return Saturday or u. S,
and Men VIII Act, the
Coast Strikers Told.

Washington, Aug. 2s.-Ac-
/ ceptanCe of President Wilson's
offer of a small wage Increase
pending the outcome OF the
governments efforts to reduce
the cost of living was advised
/ by the executive council Of the
! railway shop unions in letter
sent today TO all uniOn locals.
/ Officials of the unions conferred
| today with Samuel Gompers, pres
/ ident, and other members of the
| executive committee of the Amer
! can Federation of Labor. Their
letter said if there was to be a
strike every class Of railway en-
ployes should be willing to join in
the movement.
Take Full Burden of Blame.
"If the Federated Shop Trades
strike now" the letter said, they
carry the full burden of securing
the same general increase for the
78 per cent of the railroad ems
ployes who have not yet decided
what action they propose to take.
We do not believe that We should
allow ourselves to be placed In
that position. In our opinion the
next 80 days will bring the entire
situation to a head and If a strike
is to take place every class Of rail
road employees should be willing to
join in the movement, share their
full measure of responsibility and
not leave the issue to be decided by
the % per cent of the railroad en-
ployes represented by Rhe Fed
Grated Trades.
Regard Tieup as Mistake.
at is our honest judgment that
fatal mistake would be made by
our members to assume the respon-
sibility Of tying up the railroads
at this time when the president ls
evidently doing all possible TO re-
duce the high cost of living. II is
but fair to assume that the pres
ident will have the loyal support OF
a majority Of the American public
in his effort to procure this much
needed relief. We would, no doubt,
be charged with obstructing his ef-
forts.
1T should be understood, how
ever, that if the government falls
to effect a substantial reduction in
the cost of living within a reason
able time, we reserve the right TO
put the strike vote into effect"
Order Coast Strike Ended.
Saturday morning has been set
as the time limit by which all
striking railroad employees on the
Pacific coast must return to work
"or the brotherhoods will support
the federal administration in its
endeavor to operate trains Wher-
ever they have contracts"
This ultimatum was sent today
from the Cleveland headquarters
of the four brotherhods to the
strikers and was communicated
also to the railroad administra-
ton, which is understood to have
completed plans for resuming train
service if the unauthorized strike,
denounced as illegal by the inter
national officers of the brother
hoods. is not terminated.
1t is understood that union men
will be employed in moving trains
if the strikers do not return to
work.
Improvement in the strike stu
alton on the Pacific coast was re-
ported today to the railroad admin
istration. Trains have begun NOV
ing out of Oakland, but so far traf-
flc at Los Angeles still is tied up.
The four brotherhood chiefs
have set a time limit for the re-
turn of the strikers to work and
the railroad administration is
waiting on the unions before TAX
ing steps to operate the lines.
Officials declined to state spe-
ciically what plans had been
made TO run trains in the event the
CT
Expect Break in Tieup.
San Francisco, Cal, Aug. Is
Hopes for early and radical inn
provement in the strike situation
which virtually has paralyEed rail
transportation in southern and
central California, were expected
today
All the strikers had before them
orders from their international Of
ficers to return 70 work. as well as
a statement from Walter d. Hines,
director general OF railroads, that
this order was final" and that the
government was taking steps 10
operate the roads il the strikers
did not return to their posts,
At Oakland and Sacramento,
where brief strikes OF yard en-
ployes Rad paralyzed traffic. the
men had returned to work and
conditions were re-assuming some
thing of a normal aspect, En-
bargoes against passenger traffic
from eastern points to California
however, and from several points
came word OF the organization Of
passengers to Los Angeles.
The strike of the yardmen and
switchmen Of the three big trans
continental lines had ended at
Oakland, Cal, and trains we're
leaving on normal schedules there,
but the strike continues here, al
though most of the trains we're be-
ing dispatched out, officials OF the
limited Statea administration IN