Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-10-20
RAILROAD UNIONS
VOTE FOR STRIKE
WALkOUT TO BEGIN OCTOBER so
WILL INVOLVE oNE-HALF
MILLION MEN
PLAN TIEUP OF MANY ROADS
Union Men to Be Effected BY Novem-
Der 2 Estimated at 1000, 900; Rail-
roads Listed Touch az States;
Orders Include Mail Trains

Chicago.-More than a half million
men were Saturday ordered TO initiate
a strike on October 30, while other
unions whose membership brings the
total to about two millions, announced
unofficially that they were preparing
TO follow suit and make the walkout
general, on the same dates.
Under this program the tieup would
be complete according to union pre-
dictions, by November 2.
The hour was fixed for a. M. DC.
tober 30, except for one Texas line.
whose trainmen were authorized to go
out October % The railroads listed
in the first group on which the strike
Is to become effective touch AZ of the
4S states, with a trackage of $4,000
miles out Of the total United States
trackage of approximately 100000
miles. The New England states com.
prise the group that is virtually un.
touched in the first walkout.
The strike orders were issued 70 the
Big Five" brotherhoods, the oldest
and most powerful of the railway I'M
ions, and the specifically included mail
trains in the walkout. Their provis.
Ions instructed strikers to keep away
from railroad property with a warn.
ing that violence of any nature will
not be tolerated by the ORGANIZATIONS
The strike was announced following
an overwhelming vote, said to be up.
wards of 30 per cent, favoring a strike
because of II per cent wage reduc.
ton authorized by the United States
labor board of July /, and after it was
declared by the Association of Railway
Executives in session here. a further
reduction would be sought by the rail.
roads. 1t was said that the strike de
cision was made before the announce
ment of this further intended cut
Printed instructions as to the conduct
of the strike, issued in Chicago. were
dated October a.
Lee Sees Serious Situation.
II fear it will be one of the most
serious strikes in American transpor. |
tation history" said w. G. Lee, presi. |
dent of the Railroad T'rainmen, who
during recent weeks has sent circulars
to his men warning them of the criti. |
cal nature of the steps they contem
plated. The country was divided into
four groups, in which the men were
authorized to walk out progressively
one group every "a hours. The names |
of the groups were not made public |
but unofficially the identity of the
roads in the first group to go was
learned, subject to changes, which |
union officials said would be few
This first group included some of the
country's greatest rail systems, from
coast to coast and from Canada tc
gulf. These were Chicago and North |
western, Texas and Pacific, Kansas |
City Southern, Pennsylvania, Missouri |
Pacific, International and Great North |
ern, Southern Pacific, Southern Rail T
way, Louisville and Nashville, st /
Louis Southwestern, Chicago, Milwau
kee and st. Paul, Northern Pacific
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, Sea
board Air Line, Virginia Railway and
Chicago Great Western. The unions
issuing the strike call were Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen; Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen and En-
ginemen; Order of Railway Conduc
tors; Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers; Switchmen's Union of NORTH
America.