Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-02
|MACHlh|sTs. may STRIKE
,AGAlNsT Wish or LEADERS
s.Mrbmond Union Workers Say They
'ec Tired of Delay in Settle.
imcnt of Wage Demands.
HOLD =. SECRET MEETINGS
Strike Here May BE Followed by
Other Walkouts Which, the Rail-
road - Workers Believe, Will
Spread to Other Sections.

Officials of tho railway machinists'
unions here may not be able to pre-
T vent AN unauth horned strike on May
10 unless speedy action is taken to
settle the wage question. which the
dissatisfied workers declare has been
pending for moro than six months
before the wage board in Washington.
union. leaders declared yesterday.
; Approximately 500 men are affected
here. but the leaders say the walkout
may be followed by similar ones in
ther-tppoTtant rail centerS
Last Monday morning machinists
In one OF the Chesapeake and Ohio
Mt II o'clock and called ncetIng.
which officials OF the union refuses:
TO attend. u WAS some time before
turn to work
send Letters of Protest.
Letters of protest against the de-
lay OF officials In Washington in de-
Gliding the wage demands of the mss
chiniStS and other railroad men. were
drafted Monday night at 4 meeting
OF Richmond Lodge. No. To- Inter
which was attended by practically all
OF the members of Lodge No. 696 aau
the helpers branch.
Meeting behind closed doors. tn.
machinists were implored by leaders
OF their unions TO return to work
and walt patiently UNTIL the wage
but the feeling that some demons,ra-
ton should bc made by the ma
chintsts TO express their feelings III
the matter cropped gu, several times
! during the session
Oricials of the union denied last
night that any date was mentioned
on which the men will walk out If
their demands are not made or that
any nsit2tors among the men have
been prodd!ng them on TO strike.
Appeal 20 Union oiiciais.
forwarded Friday to Washington to
Judge II. NJ. Barton, chairman OF the
raiiroad board. and TO officials of ;he
American Federation Of Labor In
ternatlonal officers of the !nachinists'
union were also appealed TO In an
eHort 70 speed up settlement Of the
raliroad wage question ct the earliest
The protest is said to have been
siEnea by, Leroy Dunnington. repre-
Richmond, Fredericksburg and po.
tomao- nlnchinists: w. L. Bowling and
~ u Booth. OF he Chesapeake and
Giles. of the Seaboard Air Line Rail
road shopmcn
The letter IS .as follows:
ereas gm,!ee esst I to the eyer in
Nfe. although promise after promise
has been, made by the d:rector-gcn-
c era OF railroads wage boards and
the PRESIDENT OF the United States.
we. the undersigned committee. act
ing under the instructions OF gem
eral meeting of machinists OF all
railroads in the city OF Richmond
Va do protest against the dilatory
method carried out to date as TO
demands made for an increase in
wages in the year 1919.
Make Yelled Threats
We feel that our men have been
led up on patience. patriotism and
promises until their stomnchs arc
burned out by ii aud from the scnti-
inentS expressed at the general meet
inE. th.,t, ualcss steps are immedi-
ntely taken to adjust wages so tho;
This class OF skilled labor may 1.-Two
mp TO the American standard of liv-
ing, condition of affairs may come
about that VIII not be favorable 10
the railroad situation.
The Impotence Of the men right
now Is such that Immediate action
must he taken in this matter and
some notice given railroad mach!n-
lists in Richmond as TO what they
may expect at some appro. innate
lime IS to when this question Will be
settled"
Lodge No. 10, OF machinlsts. which
met with the other machin!sts las,
Monday night. Will hold another
meeting tomorrow There are over
LOO machinis.s in the organizations
besides about 500 In the two railroad
lodges OF machinists here