The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-05-19
Striking Switchmen Serve No.
tice That They are Entitled
.r to be Heard
Also.
INCREASED TARIFFS
Sixty Per Cent Added to Freight and
Passenger Rates if Railroad Men
are Given What They
'. Ask.
by Don E. Chamberlain, United


! Press Staff Correspondent] .,
| CHICAGO, May 19.-Striking out
law" railroad switchmen today served
labor board here that their demands
for recognition and higher wages
must be heard before it passes on
demands of 100000 railroad en-
ployes for an annual wage increase
of billion dollars
Declaring their number force 10
jbe reckoned with, the strikers,
through John Grunau, president of
the Chicago Yardmens' association,
the original OUTLAW" union, filed
petitions asking they be given a hear.
| ing: TREY claim to represent 200, 900
railroad employees whQ have tired OF
waiting for action on 4ncreases.
The strikers were represented by
Ia delegation at today's hearing which
considered demands of engineers for
increased wages.
In anticipation Of picketing or dem
Ionstrations, police have been station
ed nearby ready to be Of assistance
in case of emergency.
That demands of railroad employees,
iif granted, will mean a sixty percent
or higher increase in freight and pas
senger rates, was the belief OF rail
road men here today They point out
that increases demanded range from
~ percent to 1874 percent.
eff rates do go up, it will not be
because of wage increase" said Mar
tin f. Ryan, head of the car mems
union.
Government control was the Best
thing for everybody" he said. "Pri-
vate management is making itself felt
in very unpleasant manner. All
rules are being enforced in discipli-
marian fashion. There is no particu-
lar reason for doing it except that the
management is getting back to it's old
pre-war habit of riding the men
1t is particularly noticeable because
of the fine treatment the men received
under government control"
1t is because of the temper Of the
men caused by this that it is abso-
lutely necessary relief" be granted
Ryan said.
The boards ruling means that the
! strikers only recourse is to return
/ to work and await a decision on the
demands of more than two million
railroad employees for an annual in
crease of one billion dollars. The
strikers demands are included in the
demands presented by the Switch
mems Union of North America which
the board has under consideration.
In making his ruling, Barton dis
closed that the board has been bonn
barded with scores of petitions and
appeals from associations which
joined in the OUTLAW" strike re-
Gently.
1T must be thoroughly understood
that the board cannot and will not
undertake to hear any disputes or
controversies except those which it
is authorized by law to hear, and
cannot and will not hear applications
of parties who are acting in disre.
gard of the law and who are not com
plying with the law and the rules Of
the board Barton said.
"Outlaw' leaders were very bitter
over the ruling.
1.-The board is listening to every.
one that cannot get the wheels OF
traffic moving and disregards the de
mand of the men who can" said A
X. Mehany. vice president Of the
Cleveland Yardmens association.
Petition is Refused.
CHICAGO, May 19.-The United
States railroad labor board refused the
petition of OUTLAW" railroad employees
demanding recognition and hearing
on their requests for higher wages.
THE board will not be interfered
with by illegal associations" said
! Chairman r. NJ Barton, in ruling on
the petitions.
/ Sliding Scale Favored.
CHICAGO, May 19.-Railroad ex
! ecutives here today were to continue
presentation Of their case before
/ President Wilson's railroad labor