The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-02-11
Attorney General Gets Ready TO ACT
In Case He's Called On to In.
tervene in Trouble Between
Workers and Hines.
ADMINISTRATION REGARDS
MOVE OF UNIONS ILLEGAL
Officials of Workers. Organizations
Planning to Make Direct Appeal
to President AS Last Resort
Before Strike Order.
by United Press.


Washington. Feb. 11.-Attorney
General Palmer is studying the rail
road situation in preparation to act
in case he is asked to intervene in
the controversy which has arisen
between the railroad administration
and IA railroad unions, in which the
workers demand an immediate in
crease in wages.
The railroad administration re.
CARDS as Illegal Ule order which has
been sent to 100000 maintenance of
way workers to hold themselves
ready to strike on February II un.
less their demands for wage in.
creascs are met.
The officials of the Maintenance
union are planning to appeal to the
president over the head of Director
Hines of the railroad administration
as last resort before calling the
strike.
Meanwhile Director Hines is
meet officials of the union to ri,
item an answer to their commune
cation OF yesterday
Further than admitting that Le
had given to the railroad admins
tration the required thirty days no.
tice Of intention to cancel the pres
ent large contract on February %,
w. G. Lee, president Of the Brother
hood Of Railway Trainmen declined
to discuss tie plans of his organi.
zation. The strike vote taken under
his instructions was said to show
a large majority favoring strike
This last phase of the situation
was giving railroad administration
officials concern because, should the
drainmen walk out, an almost CON.
plete tieup of traffic could be the
only result. The thousands of en-
gineers. firemen and conductors
could not operate the trains, for in
many states t-ey would be forbid
den to work under full crew" laws
unless all trainmen required were on
duty it was explained Union. by
laws also prohlblt other employees
from taking out trains not manned
by the regulation number of brake
men.
Officials of the other three train
operating unions were declared not
to be supporting Mr.. Lee aggressive
ly in his demands, although he was
said to have communicated with
each Of them before notifying Mr.
Hines of his intention to cancel the
wage agreement. The communica-
ton of the trainmen's president was
said to have been merely request
for statement from the other un-
ions as to their objections, if any. to
the proposed action. The leaders
arc understood to have replied they
ad no objection. but declined to
commit themselves as to supporting
the proposed move.
The action Of President Barker of
the maintenance Of way employees
was declared again by railroad I'D
miustraton officials to be in viola
ton of his wage agreement,
1t was said Dir. Barker had signed
the agreement only last November
%, and that il had gone into effect
December 16. A search Of the files
in Mr.. Hines office was declared to
have revealed no communication
cancelling eflo agreement with the
government. Mr.. Barker and a COM
mittee of ten are expected to reach
Washington tomorrow to attend the
conference Of union leaders with Mr..
Hines.