The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-28
WalkOut Ordered to Start Sun
day Is Rescinded.
Code Messages Now Being Sent
to All Parts of U. S.
VICTORY FOR FEDERAL BOARD
Firemen'S Brotherhood Held
Out for War to Last.
"COuId Not Fight Whole L. S.
Government" Says Sheppard.

Chicago, Oct. 28.-Cabalistic mes
sages built from a code known only
to officials of the railway brother
hoods are humming over the wires to-
day carrying a message of peace in
the bitterest industrial controversy the
country has known in years.
The MESA ges were sent out to ev-
cry general chairman of the "b &
four" brotherhoods and the Switch
mems Union of North America by the
grand chiefs of these organizations.
They direct that the railroad strike
set for Sunday morning be called off.
They sought the death kneu of the
walkout that threatened to seriously
cripple if not paralyze the transpor-
tation systems of the country.
End Came at Midnight.
The end of the strike came just be-
foro midnight last night after hours of
bitter fighting The strike is Off"
was the Iaconic announcement made
by w. G.. Lee, head of the Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen, at the
close of the historic session Thru0ut
virtually all of yesterday the cxecu-
tive councils of the brotherhoods had
fought behind closed doors to 1ecide
the issue of war or peace.
Peace came, il was admitted by
union leaders today, because the SOW
erCisn power of the United States gov
ernment stood back of the move to
prevent the strike.
we could not defy the authority
of the United States" said L. E. Shep-
pard, chief OF the conductors. I'VE
thought we were hitting at the rail-
roads. but found our attack was really
directed against the government. We
saw that it would be futile to carry
out strike orders"
Federal Board the Victor.
The United States railway labor
board stands out today as a rejuve-
mated and powerful agency for the
stabiliza ton of conditions in the rail-
way industry. The board was the
trump card of the government in its
fight to avert the strike and it won.
If the board was thru, however, the
''aCe in the hole" was the department
of justice. or the law enforcing agency
of the federal governm ent. Back OF
the efforts of the labor board to fnedi-
ate the controversy was the prepara-
tions being made by the department OF
justice at Washington for procedure
against the unions for violation of the
transportation act if the walkout re
suited in serious interruption of traffic.
1t is no secret that the fear of be-
ing "outlawed" by the labor board
andadeclared ineligible to share in the
benefits of future decisions of the
board with regard to wage schedules
and working rules was a factor given
much consideration by the brother
hoods.
Will Delay New Cuts.
Settlement of the controversy, as
was pointed out yesterday, is based
upon the assurance of the labor board
that no petitions by. the railroads for
additional cuts wol&d be acted upon
until all controversies over rules gov
erning working conditions are ad-
iusted. This was coupled with the
promise OF the railway executives that
no wage reductions would be put into
effect without due procedure before
the labor board.
Hours of bitter debate ragged around
the sufficiency of these assurances. 1t
was apparent that the brotherhood
leaders were considering the attitude
of the membership of their organiza-
tons The big question apparently
was whether the men would follow the
advice Of their leaders and consider
the assurances given by the labor
board and the railroads as salts
factory settlement of the controversy.
This question is still somewhat or an
issue today but the general bel1ef is
that the membership will accept the
decision Of the leaders and remain at
work If any unauthorized walkouts
occur, it is believed, they Will be
sporadic.
Were Three Peacemakers.
Three men stood today as peace
makers Chief credit is given to Ben
W. Hooper. chairman of the public
group of the labor board and former
governor of Tennessee. Hooper, be-
Iieved to be acting as the personal
representative of President Harding,
assumed the leadership in the boards
efforts to avert the strike. He went
personally before the union leaders
yesterday and laid before them the as
surances of the labor board.
Hoopers plea to the union leaders
won over W. C. Lee. head of the train
men, and Lee thereafter led the fight
for peace at the union conference. It
was a stubborn fight but winning
one.
w. L. McMenniman. a member Of
the labor group of the board. likewise
had a hand in the peace negotiations.
1t was McMenniman. former member
of the trainmen, who arranged for the
appearance of Hooper before the
union chiefs.
Fircmcn Held Out.
The decision to call off the strike
came when the conductors and engi-
neers Joined with the trainmen. The
firemen, of whom w S. Carter is the
head. held out to the last for a strike.
The switchmen did not vote, since the
action taken by the trainmen, con-
ductors and enginemen was sufficient
under the rules of the big five" to
bind the other two. The official vote
to call off the strike was $50 in favor
of resembling the strike order and 81
against The thirty-seven comprise
the executive council of the firemen.
Brief statements only were made by