The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-22
PEACE PARTY
TO PREVENT
GREAT STRIKE
Government Officials
and Union Leaders
Confer on Connpro-
mise Proposals

the various moves though which it
is hoped the threatened rail strike
will be averted We're completed to-
day and tomorrow the peace efforts
will be in full swing.
Tonight heads of the unions and
of the carriers were silently alert
witl-fguratively speaking-one
eye on the conferences tomorrow
between the Big Five" rail union
leaders and the railroad labor
board, and the other on meetings
of officials of II unions which have
not Yet joined the conductors, en-
ginemen. trainmen. fircmen and
switchmen in a strike order. for
both sides were agreed chat from
tomorrows conference would come
the final answer as to whether a
general walkout Of rail employees
would materialize.
In the conference with the labor
board rested the possibility of the
Big Five" being persuaded to cam
eel their order for walkout. while
in the meetings Of the unions,
which actually started today, is to
be decided whether these organiza-
tons holding the balance Of men
though numbering three-fourths
Of the nearly 100000 rail workers
in their membership. would Join
the Big Five" if they walked out
October 80 as planned.
While the Big Five" conference
was looked on as the most import
ant Of the peace moves. railroad
men tonight professed to see
signs Of peaceful settlement Of
the difficulties in the attitude Of
r. NJ. Jewell, head of the $4,000
members Of the six railway shop
ca.'is organizations, and Of j. c.
Smock, vice president of the main
tcnance Of way union, which num-
bers 800 900 men.
The shop crafts executive council
met today but took no action 9TH
er than to call in the conference
committee of 100. The commit
tee. while having power TO call a
strike. also is expected to defer ac-
ton by calling in the 1000 general
chairmen for meeting Friday
when the final attitude of these
probably will be made known.
The maintenance Of way eXecu-
tive council met only informally
today. the formal meeting coming
tomorrow when all Of the members
are expected to be present.
Il can not speak for my entire
organization now but personally
will say that we do not want a
strike. that we would never strike
on the wage question unless
forced to. and that we will not go
into any walkout with the brother
hoods unless we have definite
promises Of cooperation. which
so far have not been forthcoming
from them" said J. C. Smock,
maintenance of way vice president.
tonight.
The labor board will go into con-
ference with assurance of full sup
port from every interested govern
mental department. it's members
said tonight following an executive
session at which they went over
the case. One member intimated
he believed the board had found
legal method of enforcing its rul
ing. Heretofore the board has
maintained that it had no power
TO carry out it's decisions and un-
ioEs and railroads each have
charged the other with violating
the boards rulings.
The board had no announcement
to make tonight as to its proce
dure. other than to say that the
situation would be gone over thor
oughly." 1t was understood. how
ever. that a plan similar 20 that
proposed by the public group in
ehington--calling for acceptance
Of The last wage cut and cancel
latou of the strike order by the
men with the roads Immediately
reducing freight rates and tenn
porarily postponing further wage
cutS-wouId be the basis of discus
sion
Board members admitted they
realized tho board really is fight
ing for its life and that much OF its
future depends on its ability to
handle the present situation.
In connection with the possibility
Of this conference avertinG strike
it was pointed out. however. that
many railroads have announced
positively that the public group
proposal is impossible, in their
opinion. while few labor leaders
have expressed very warm APPROX
al of it.
In this connection Samuel O.
Dunn. editor of The Railway Age.
issues a statement today denounc-
ing the plan as 'involving a COM
Ulotc surrender by the roads to
the labor unions and the state
mont said that the labor leaders
opposition TO the plan was bluff
rs it was exactly what the union
wants
Possibility of immediate steps
to bring about a labor board hear
ing on the proposed 10 per cent
wage cut which the roads recently
announced they would seek was re-
ported in rail circles but locally
no action Yet has been taken to this
end Informal meetings of presi
dents OF railroads entering Chicago
arc being held almost daily, how
ever. and it was said that definite
would be made