Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-08-29
R.R. Get MEN
STRIKE VOTES
Trainmen Use Ballot More
Drastic Than Other Four
Bodies.
SEEK TO KEEP SCALE
SEEK TO KEEP SCALE
Pledge Given That Officers Will Not
Oppose Decision of Workers-lo9-
600 Men Involved.

cleveland. Aug. 29.-Strike ballots
on the acceptance or rejection OF the
recent $500, 100000 wage reduction re-
Gently ordered by the Railroad Labor
Board were mailed tonight to the 4oo,-
600 members of the big Four" broth
erhoods and the Switchmens Onlon
of North America.
The ballots revealed q difference OF
opinion among the chief executives Oh
the five organizations, the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers, Broth
erhood of Locomotive Firemen and
Enpinemen, Order of Railway Con-
ductors and the switchmen using a
Joint ballot, while the Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen sent out
separate ballot.
The trainmen's ballot stated that
if had been the intention of all the
organizations to use joint ballot,
but that this was impossible, because
the ballot adopted by the other or
carnations did not, in our oplmon,
contain an impartial and unbiased
recital of all that is involved, nor did
it convey the assurance that the
wishes of the men, if against work
ing for reduced wages, would deter
mine the question, and that they
would be permitted to leave the serV-
ice"
The Joint ballot declared that if the
membership vote was to reject the
wage reductions which became effec-
tive on July /, 1921, 1T IS to be un-
derstood that the men will be per-
mitted to withdraw from the service
of their respective companies unless
satisfactory settlement can be reach
ed under the laws Of the organlza-
tion."
THE proposition which confronts
our members and others" said the
trainmen's ballot, carries with 1t an
attempt to reverse the decision of the
United States Railroad Labor Board
on the wage reduction now in effect
since July /, or else persuade OF COM
pel the railroad companies to rein
stitute wage rates that the Labor
Board decided should be reduced.
MANY genera: cfairmen at the Chi
cago meeting (on July 81 favored an
immediate vote of the members on the
wage cut, and held that if the neces-
sary majority of the membership vot-
ed to leave the service, that a strike
should be called forthwith in an eff
fort to force restoration Of the
rates that were in effect on June 80,
1921.
! ".All members and others are here
( bv notified that if the membership
vote is in lawful, necessary majority
/ to leave the service rather than con-
tinue service under the reduced wages
now in effect, they will on any or all
! lines where such vote is secured with
the sanction of the general grievance
cOmmittee) be given necessary au-
thority by the president of the grand
lodge. The president of the grand
lodge will not with the information
given above) undertake to prevent
the wishes of the men, as expressed
IN their ballot, from being adhere
/ to-"
The number of active members of
the five organizations to whom bal
cots were mailed was estimated at
100000 trainmen, 115.000 firemen, 8O,-
900 engineers, $4,000 conductors and
$4,000 switchmen. In addition, the
wage reduction had been previously
voted upon by the six shop crafts
under the railway employees depart
ment of the American Federation Of
Labor. Although this vote was taken
some time ago, the result has not been
Continued on Page Two.)