The Mena weekly star., 1920-04-22
RAIL WAY STRIKERS IGNORED BY BOARD
New Labor Tribunal Refuses to Hear Grievances of 'Outlaws"-Men Say Their Vacation" Is No Strike and
 Demand Hearing of Their Case.

Demand Hearing of Their Case.
 Washington, April l9 Refusing to take up the switchmens grievances until the outlaw" strikers return to work, the newly created Railroad La bor Board inaugurated it's administra- ton today with an aggressive move de- signed to discourage railroad strikes henceforth in advance of the adjudi. cation of disputes.
 In it's first official order, the board laid down a rule that it would not entertain complaints from any per sons who were not complying with that provision of the transportation act enjoining the railroads and their employees to make every possible ef- fort to avoid interruption of trans portation. This means that strikers. whether outlaws" or authorized by their unions, will deprive themselves of a hearing of their grievances SO long as they interfere with transpor- tation.
 In all quarters the utmost signifi- canoe is attached to the order. If the theory of the framers of the law and Of it's executors works out successful ly in practice, railroad strikes will become a rarity. The boards order is designed to discourage a strike be- fore hearing and public opinion will be relied upon to discourage strike after hearing and decision.
 Undeterred by the refusal of the Railway Labor Board to hear them. representatives of the railroad strik- CTS announced that they would pre- sent written complaints, together with demands for n living wage" to the board which tomorrow will begin for maj hearings on the big wage contro- yersy.
 The board will proceed with the wage dispute involving claims of near ly 100000 men which failed of ad- justment when the bipartisan board ceased to function April l Heads of the four brotherhoods and the chair men of the Association of Railway Executives, all of whom were present today. will attend.
 Decision Hurts Rebels.
 Timothy Shea, president of the Brotherhood of Railway Bremen and Enlightenment, said tonight that speedy settlement would be urged. Refusal of the board to hear strikers, Shea said, would have the effect of sending all the strikers back to work. He said many of them had been led astray, he thought, in the belief that the board might recognize them
 Delegations claiming to represent railroad men of all crafts who "have quit work" appeared at the offices of the board today. demanding assur- ances of substantial guarantee of incresed wages" which, they said. would send strikers back to work. They composed an unorganized asso citation, they said, known as the Rail- road Workers of America. insisting that they still retained their mem bership in the recognized unions be- cause they had not struck. but had only gone on vacation"
 After adopting rules of procedure for hearing disputes, the board ad- mitted several delegations
 Immediate protest was entered by ". N Doak, vice president of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, who contended that the officers of the IS railroad organizations present rep resented the men unless they had quit their jobs. in which case they were no longer employees of the railroads or members of the recognized unions.
 Men Are Dissatisfied.
 General dissatisfaction with the boards action was expressed by the railroad workers Edward McHugh. representing strikers in New York and New Jersey, declared that he would continue his efforts to obtain some assurance of an increase from the board. He said that 5000 men in the New York district would not go back to work until such assurance was re- ceived.
 The railroad workers envoy said they would not return until they had ''iron-clad' assurance of adjustment of grievances. They would present their formal demands, they said, and then go to their men and await de- cision granting increased wages. Wig orous objection was expressed to the term striker" They say they have not struck, as there has been no order from the officials of their unions adopted by referendum vote, but that they merely laid down their tools un- til they get more pay.
 Yardmen from St. Louis claimed they are not sufficiently represented before the board by the recognized unions, and demanded that they be allowed to legislate for themselves.
 Brotherhood Chiefs Confer.
 Chief of the brotherhoods held meeting at Q hotel this afternoon and discussed their procedure for tomor- row. During the meeting the strike was mentioned, but was not fully dis cussed. It is believed that, although the strike concerns the trainmen, the officers of the other brotherhoods of fered some advice on how 1t should be met. It is said that the policy of the brotherhoods would be to give the strikers a chance to come back Into