Evening star., 1921-10-16

brotherhood OF BoilermakerS, Iron
Shipbuilders and Helpers Of America; !;
International Brotherhood Of Black
smiths, Drop Forgers and Helpers.
Five hundred general chairmen Of
the Big -Four brotherhood and the
Switchmen's. Union Of America were
on their way home tonight from q
weeks conference, in Chicago. with
the signed authorization for q strike
In their pockets.
- No Other Order. Necessary.
No further orders will be necessary,
the brotherhood chiefs said. to call
out rail workers on every big line in
the country Grand officers of the
brotherhoods left for Cleveland to-
night.
Printed instructions were handed
every general chairman to govern the
mons conduct. These authorised q
progressive walkout. the first at
am. octobef 80. to be followed by the
other three secret groups. each twen-
ty-four hours. October 81 and Novem-
Der and 2.
Every chairman carried in a sealed
packet aoode word for use II the strike
Is called of. In evont Of receiving the
code word from headquarters, each
chairman Is to open his packet to iden-
tify the word.
No reservations" ara made in the
strike authorizations Skeleton service,
outlined In the bylaws Of the unions
is to be maintained. but otherwise ev-
cry man is expected to walk out The
instructions declare the. men have "iden-
tically tho same right to refuse to per-
form service on mail train as you
have to perform service on a freight
train"
systen Orders to BE Issued.
= Arriving at their respective headquar-
ters. general chairmen Of the brother
hoods ard switchmen will Immediately
issue system orders over the general
ehairmen's signatures, carrying the hour
and date Of the strike. These orders
will go to focal chairmen. who will pass
them to the rank and flo
walkout Of tho other eleven Of the
sixteen standard railroad organiza-
tions were incomplete tonight, It was
said the general procedure would be
much like that Of the brotherhoods.
Warren 8. Stone. grand chief of
the engineers. declined to comment
on the conferences Of this week. He
said an announcement might be made
from the Cleveland ONCE later.
We're all through" Mr.. Stone said.
Il cana tell you anything now, but
the die is cast"
W. G. Lee. president of the train
men, said he had used every in
huence to avert q strike on the basis
Of a IL per cent wage reduction Of
July I, 1921, but that he felt any
further reductions would justify
walkout 4
Lee Opposed Call.
IT want it understood that used
every influence to avert a strike on
the wage reduction Of July L."
Mr.. Lee said. II preferred to accept
that reduction, with an assurance
that there would be no further wage
reduction or change in our working
rules for q reasonable period.
II felt that II the railroads got
through present business conditions
they would be in position to pay the
present rates Of pay"
Mr.. Lee refused to comment on the
strike orders. although he admitted
that he had already sent out one au-
thorization to strike to trainmen on
the international and Great Northern.
Trainmen on this road, which op-
crates between San Antonio and Pal
estine. Tex. asked to strike At noon
October %. Independently Of the
other groups. Mr. Lee gave his au-
thorization several days ago and it
still stands. The road. however, is
to walk out, and the trainmen may
defer action until October 30.
Sheppard Ii Retieent.
L e. Sheppard. president Of the
conductors, said he could say nothing.
his announcement Of sew
era1 days ago that no official state
ment would be given out here.
T. c. Cashen. head Of the switchmen,
and w. 8 Carter, president Of the
declined to, make any COM
ment
while only four Of the big brother
hoods and the switchmen's union have
mailed the strike call, the
employees department., American Fed
Grafton Of Labor, known as the Fed
Grated Shop Crafts, is acting in con-
cert with them. The shop crafts,
435. 900 of whose half million members
were the first to vote to quit work,
embraces six organisations-the ma
chinists, boilermakerss blacksmiths,
sheet metal workers, electricians and