New-York tribune., 1921-10-22
Big Majority Of
Rail Labor Here
Against Strike
Poll ON Six Big Systems
Shows Men Prefer to
Work, hut Probably Will
Obey Call and Go Out
Executives Are Optimistic
Expect Settlement in Chi
cago; Investors Warn of
Government Ownership

A majority Of engineers, hremen,
trainmsn and switchmen whose senti-
ment was polled by six of the biggest
railroads indicsted yesterday that they
disapproved of going on strike as or
dered by the brotherhoods. They
showed their desire to remain at work,
despite the strike order, IN response
to letters written by the companies
cautioning the men that if they struck
they would lose not only their pay dur
ing the strike, but their seniority
rights and the possibility of receiving
disability or old age pensions.
The men canvassed were among the
16.600 members of tho Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers, the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Fremen, the Brother
hood OF Railroad Trainmen and the
Switchmen's Union of North America
who operate from points within q
radius of twenty-five miles from New
York. The officials told the men that
the railroads would not recede from
their plan to ask the Railroad Labor
Board for cut of 10 per cent in wages,
and that If the men struck against the
IL per cent reduction ordered by the
board effective July l last the strike
would be directed against the govern
ment and not the railroads.
Expected to Obey Strike Call
The individual sentiment of the
workers was not taken as an indica-
tion that they would refuse to obey the,
strike order.
limitations were received by officials
of the Association of Railway Execu-
tives that the brotherhoods, in view of
eager to find a good reason to revoke
the strike order. The belief of the
railroad presidents is that the confer
ence called by the Railroad Labor
Board to be held in Chicago next
Wednesday will result in a settlement,
provided the unions are given ground
on which to claim they have gained
point, although they may have to yield
to the proposed 10 per cent cut.
All the members of the Association
of Railway Executives who attended the
meeting i'll Chicago at which the strike
vote was announced will be on their
way to Chicago on Monday. Some of
them will start tomorrow.
Apprehensive that the strike threat
may lead to modification of the trans
portation act, which deals with the
financial returns on the aggregate value
Of the railroad properties, the Associa-
tion Of Owners of Railroad Securities,
at meeting at 60 Broadway, yester-
day issued statement declaring that
any reversal of the provisions of the
act would "lead to government owner.
ship" "If Congress takes step back
wac by reversing a policy that indi-
Gates only the minimum net revenues
essential to sustain this great trans
portation machine in the public in
tcrest, then we must consider it as
formal notice that the American trans
portation system cannot continue to
exist under private investme ent, owner
ship and operation" said the associa-
tion.
Strike Preparations Continue
Provisions for a possible emergency
were continued by the railroads yester-
day. in spite of their avowed confidence
that no strike will take place. Most Of
the roads advertised broadcast for rail-
road workers TO take the place of possi-
bic strikers. The Long Is and Railroad
Company in it's advertisement said:
This notice is not intended for pro-
fessional strike-breakers, and the rail-
road company guarantees that those
who enter its employ in response to
this advertisement will not be dis
eliminated against as to permanencc
of their employment"
The promise made by President ". H.
Truesdale of the LacKawa,na to COM
pensate any employee who might lose
his union insurance by defying the
strike ordertwas extended by other
railroads. 1t was said that the rail-
roads had begun negotiations with a
large Insurance company to provide in
surance for all railroad employees sim
hrotherhoods. 1t was pointed out that
one Of the influences of the brother
hoods in keeping their membership in
tact was system of insurance which
the men would lose by not joining In
an authorized strike.
Football Teams Protest
Protests against a strike were lodged
with the railroads by scores Of foot
ball teams. The Lehigh Valley road,
which Is credited with having more
colleges along its route than any other
railroad, received kilograms which said,
"A railroad strike must not be per-
mitted during the football season"
About 1000 students of Lafayette
College, Easton, Pa, Lehigh University,
Bethlehem, Pa, and Muhlenberg Col
lege, Allentown, Pa, volunteered to
help run trains.
The National Association of Manu-
facturers asserted yesterday chat the
railway workers were moving toward
catastrophe" Six thousand firms are
members of the association.
THE proposed strike is a protest
against the act of government body
and not against the railroads." said
John E. Edgerton, president of the
association, speaking with the approval
ol the board Of directors, at it not
against further reductions that can be