New-York tribune., 1920-05-13
b. & O., Erie and Pennsy
Men, 5000 Strong, Act
Without Warning Lines
of Insurgent Walk-Out
Order Effective at
1880 A. NJ. To-day
Failure of Labor Boars>
to Keep Its Promises j.
Given as the Cause
Special Dispatch to The rribuu.

Special Dispatch to The Tribunc
PITTSBURGH, May 12.-Three
thousand railroad engineers and fire.
men in the Pittsburgh district voted :
tonight through representative at
mass meeting to strike at 1880
o'clock tomorrow morning because
the Federal Railroad Labor Board
had failed to act upon the demands
OF the men for increased wages.
When the yardmen struck through
out the country last April II, the
other railroad men, they say, re-
ceived pledge OF the railroad board
that if they would refrain from ioin-
ing in the strike the board would set
tie the matters in dispute within
thirty days. The thirty days ex-
pired yesterday without any adjust
ment of the questions at issue.
1000 Attend Meeting
Handbills announcing a meesing OF
fircmcn and engineers of all railroads
were distributed to-day with the re-
suit that there was an estimated at,
tendance of 1000 members of these
crafts al the meeting tonight The
proceedings were secret, the only in
formation as to what took place being
that given out to newspaper men by a
member of the committee which ar
ranged the meeting.
This committeeman said that
standing vote was taken and that
virtually every man in the room stood
up when those in favor of striking
hall outside heard cheering
According to information given by
the committeeman, the passenger and
freight engineers and tiremen Of the
Baltimore & Ohio, Pittsburgh & Lake
Erie and Pennsylvania systems were
included in the strike action agreed
upon.
1t was said at the headquarters Of
the railroads in this city that they
had received no official information re-
garding the intention of the nan %
strike. All they knew about it, they
said, was what had come to them from
the Offices OF Pittsburgh newspapers
John D. Beltz, superintendent of the
Baltimore & Ohio. said:
Il can't believe the men are going 20
do such thing We have received
no authoritative notification. and it Is
impossible 10 say at this moment what
we shall do, bat we shall do something
10 meet the emergency"
One Woman Speaker
a similar expression came from The
Pennsy lvania railroad Office At the
headquarters here of the railroad
brotherhoods, confidence was expressed
that the announced strike would noc
be so big as threatened. It was sug-
gested that striking workmen of ihe
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railroads had
packed the meeting and that TO omorrog
would find large percentage. Of tfe
remen and engineers on an three
roads in their places as usual
Several of the brotherhood chiefs.
after receiving word OF the action
taken at the labor temple. hurried ta
the ctfice of X. l.. O'Donnel, vice
president Of the Pennsylvania Raj
road, lor conf erence with that official.
Z. II. Doherty, assistant grand chicf
Of the brotherhood of Locomotive tn
glncers, who was reported to have come
TO Pittsburgh. could not be found here
to o-night
Speakers at the meeting were from
Columbus. Cleveland Cincinnati and
Chicago One OF them was a woman.
referred to as Miss Young"
During the meeting the chairman
asked any men IN the audience who
had struc,i and then gone back to their
Jobs because Of fear Of losing their
seniority rIghts to rise. About seventy
men stood They were directed to Re
main standing if they were willing to
join in the strike to- day. and To resume
their seats if they were not willing.
All remained standing as a pledge to
strike.
AS the railroadcrs left the Temple
about twenty OF them were questioned
rs to what action had been taken with
regard to striking. Their replies were
virtually the same, that there had been
an almost unanimous vote in favor OF
the engineers and firemen OF the three
big roads here striking this morning.