Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-10-22
ACCLAIM ACTION AS
FIRST STROKE TO END
THREATENED TIE-uP
Chicago, Oct. 22.-One-fourth of the railroad
workers of America the 100000 members of the
federated shop crafts-today went on record

:oday went on record
against a strike and voted
to remain at work pend
ing decision by the rail
road labor board in the rules and
working conditions case. The shop
craft we're the first of all the unions TO
vote on strike, 435,000 votes being
cast for a walkout, with 10000 op-
posed to strike. After the vote was
canvassed, President Jewell said they
would await that action the board
would await what action the board
The shop crafts embrace six unions
all affiliated with the American FEEDER.
alton of Labor issued statement IL
was evident that the membership of
the four big brotherhoods would not
cooperate with the other unions In
event they struck.
The six unions involved are the
railway carmen; electrical workers;
machinists, blacksmfths; drop forgers
and helpers: the amalgamated sheet
metal workers; the boiler makers;
iron ship builders and helpers.
Just as the railroad board went In
session today word came from the
hotel where the telegraphers are in
session that they would join in the
strike. There are $4,000 members of
the union, OF whom $4,000 would be
effected by the strike.
Explains Unions Grievances.
Cleveland, Ohio, Oct 22.--Causes
for the strike of railroad workers set
to begin in general at a. m., Oct 80.
are enumerated by W. G. Lee, presS
dent of the Brotherhood, of Railroad
Trainmen, in statement to the Az
sociated Press today.
The statement was issued, Mr.. Leo
explained, because the public IS
rather confused" as to its cause,
some believing 1t Is for higher wages.
Three causes were ascribed by MI
Lee:
|. The wage reduction of July /.
2. Proposed further reductions.
), Proposed elimination of rules
which would mean still further reduc.
tions
The three local brotherhood chiefs
Mr. Lee of the trainmen, Warren s.
Stone of the Brotherhood of Locomo4
tive Engineers and w. S. Carter of
the Brotherhood of Firemen and
Enginemen, while preparing to obey:
the citation to appear before the rail-
road labor board in Chicago next
"Wednesday. were also going ahead
with plans to carry out the striito
Lee Sheppard, president of the Order
of Railway Conductors, arrived last
night.
Mr., Lees statement as to the
causes Of the strike follows.
The public is rather confused as
to the causes for the railway strike
There is a belief on the part Of some
that the strike is for higher wage
and is not understood to be a demon
stration against wage reduction 10
which has been added propositions
further to reduce wages and eliminat,
rulep which would mean still futhG9
reductions.
Railroad transportation employee,
even when peak wages were paid, did
not receive advanced wages in keep
ing with the increased living cost.
The daily rate paid transportation
men was fixed for all classes III the
United States in 1913 and regardlGs
Of the Increased cost of living, there
were no increased wages for these era,
pIoyes until Jan. l, 1918, and only thou
after a most searching investigation
had been made by the Lane commits.
sion to determine what should be the
reasonableness of wages paid trans
pCrtation employees.
"Phis commission reported that
wage were inadequate and that. Co&-
trary to public opinion did not meas
ur6 up with wages in other classes OF
service. The rate OF a freight brake.
man between Chicago and New YORK
was S2.67 a day, which wac referred
to by the railways in their publicity
campaigns as a princely wage. aud
the public, naturally supposing that
business representing SO much as tha
railway business would tell the truth,
accepted the railway statement with
out question 1t does not take long To
determine how much could be earned
( in month of thirty days at rate
1 of $2.67 per day Until Jan. /, 1915,
5000 was the princely wage some
| fifty odd thousand railroad men re-
ceived in what is known as the east.
ern territory. Other wages were IN
proportion to the wages of freight
brakemen.
with the reduction in wages CT
July |, 1921, the present wage OF this
employe is s13440 in thirty days in
the month and he is fortunate indeed
if he is able to work every day in the
month The hazards of the service.
exposure to the weather and very
many other reasons all contribute
their share toward making him an in
termtten as we'll as a piece worker.
Transportation employees are not paid
! CONTINUED On Page 4, column I.