Evening star., 1920-02-10
N0|NJUNCT|ON WILL
STOP US, DECLARES
RAIL UNIONS HEAD
100000 Maintenance o
Way and Shop Men to Go
Out February II.

BY the Associated Press.
DETROIT. Mich. February lO-Exec-
utive officers of the United Brother
hood of Maintenance of Way En-
ployes and shop Laborers were going
ahead with strike plans today. while
committee of heads of various divi-
sions of the union We're en- route to
Washington, where they will make
final effort. if called into confer
ence by Director General Hines. to
avert the walkout on February II
of nearly 100000 railway workers.
Allen f. Barker. president of the
brotherhood. would make no state
ment early today in reply to the as
sertion by Mr.. Hines that the strike
call violat ted the unions wage agree
was voted last fall set for November
l, and that it had been twice post
poned since then in the hope that an
agreem ent might be reached on a new
wage scale. or that the government
might be able to reduce the cost of
living.
NO Injunction Will Stop U.s."
NO federal injunction will stop US
and we will spend the last dollar the
organization has to win the strike
Mr.. Barker said yesterday afternoon. in
announcing the strike decision. Our
funds may be tied up SO that we can
not use them within forty-eight
hours he added. but that won't
break the strike.
We have been told that the pub
lie, the press and railway officials will
not. maintenance of way will pay no
more attention to Mr.. Hines until our
demands are met"
Crossing watchmen. Mr.. Barker
said. should answer the strike call. If
cities and towns. however. want to
put men on to replace them the broth
erhood. he said, will not interfere.
Raise Only Will Avert Strike.
The strike can be averted only if
the Federal Railroad Administration
before Saturday grants wage in
creases demanded last summer. Mr..
Barker said.
The orders have gone out" he de-
clared. "and we would require TWO or
three days to cancel them"
The strike. in addition to wage in
creases requested last summer. is to
secure a uniform rate from coast to
coast. 1t would affect storehouse en-
ployes. stationary firemen. stationary
engineers, steel bridge workers. Gin
der pit men and oilers. as we'll 8 9TH
er members of the brotherhood.
committee of ten representing the
brotherhood left here last night for
Washington. The committee will re-
main in Washington up until the time
set for the strike to take effect. 1t
has full authority to enter into nego-
tiations with ,le director general, MFR
Barker said. With the departure of
the committee the conference of the
general chairmen here came to an
end
Barker Explains Decision.
In explaining the decision to call
strike. Mr.. Barker said tonight:
The railroads are soon to be re-
turned to private ownership and we
feel that this wage controversy which
is with the federal railroad admins
tration should be adjusted before they
are released. Our representatives
have been in conference with the
director general for ten days He has;
not promised anything and we do no,
believe he is going to do so. We de-
cided to issue the strike call before
the railroad administration should
have opportunity to pass the burden
to the private owners of the lines.
THE cost of living continues to
rise Mr.. Barker said. "And we are
convinced that the railroad admins
tration does not intend to grant in
creases in wages unless forced to do
SO. 1t is ridiculous to think that the
government employing these laborers
who are raising American families
would force them to work for an
average wage of 35 cents an hour
while the same class of laborers
throughout the country employed
elsewhere are making up to 81 an
hour and while many railroads are
bringing Mexican laborers into this
country and paying them % to 40 per
cent more than the men affected bv
this strike call.
We are determined to have fair in
creaseS now.
Wants Public to know
The public should know" Mr. Bar
ker continued. that this strike call
is not something that has been de-
clded upon precipitately. but dates
back. to last July. Wage demands
were presented to the Railroad Ad-
ministration at that time and brother
hood membership authorized a strike
to enforce them. We held a strike in
abeyance, however. upon President
Wilson's request that he be permitted
an opportunity to bring about a re-
duction in living costs. He asked for
reasonable time, which he fixed at
sixty or ninety days. We have waited
SIX months. and there has been no re-
ductlon in the cost Of living"
The wage demands of the men aver
age 40 per cent. Mr.. Barker said. add
ing, There are more than 100, 900 of
our members who receive less than
81 day. More than l0O.O 900 nechan-
les. consisting Of carpenters. masons
ana painters. are receiving an aver
age OF % cents an hour which is
about one-half tn" wage received by
n" same class of la Dor in the build,
ing trades.