The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-10-17
BY MILDRED MORRIS

1
! rs7AFF CORRESPONDENT l. N. sEsvlcE1
! CHICAGO, Oct 17--Lacl OF unity BE-
tween the big four" brotherhoods ard
the American Federation of Labor rail
road unions which comprise rnors than
two-thirds OF the $500 organized rail
road workers was indicated today. WITH
the prospect of a general railroad strike
| without a central head and two sep
arate sets of demands formulated
Executives Of some OF the federation
groups demand, before calling out their
men, an iron-clad agreement from the
brotherhoods specifying basis of set
tlement II the strike is won and giving
assurance that no one group Will make
separate settlement
NO ALTERNATIVE LEFT
The concensus among the leaders i
that no alternative Is left. The A r
of L crafts but to join the strike. The
chief executives however refuse TO take
responsibility and final action will be
determined at meetings to be held in
Chicago this week to which the general
chairman and vice-presidents of all tbs
groups in the labor federation with the
exception of the swttchmeu's union az
North America which already has cast
it's lot with the brotherhoods have
been summoned. After each group has
made its decision, all the chief executive
will meet.
BY agreement no one group Will act
without the others and the majority de-
cision viii prevail over all.
Suspicion Of the brotherhoods IS In
iicated in all A. F. of l. quarters and
the expressed fear of besng double
crossed" by the big four
WANT JOINT STRATEGY BOARD
Leaders emphasize that unless the
brotherhoods make an agreement for q
Joint board of strategy to carry on a
strike and 4 common settlement the
American Federation Of Labor unions Il
they finally determine to enter the Strike
will carry on their end Of 1t undepend-
entity Of the ''big four" and make their
own terms
A general strike with this division
may result in 9 big labor rupture, &C.
oording to leaders.
1t is charged by the labor officials
that the big four are prepared 20 set
tie the strike II 1t ia called on the best
possible terms to themselves and save
the federation groups in a lureh. gen
eral strike with this end would mean
interunion warfare with disaster TO or
ganized labor. they declare
DrscozD IN RELATIONS
Discord has marked relations betweer
the big four and the other railroad
unions ever since last July when the
A. f Of L. unions wanted to strike fol
lowing the u and one per cent wage
slash and the big four" refused 10 act
with them.
The action Of the big four in set
tling a strike date and Formulating
strike policies without consulting the
other unions has rankled fin the minds
Of the A. T. Of l. leaders.
The most conservative leaders ara
now working to prevent an open breach
and are urging harmonious action. at
least on the surface TO force the issue
on the railroads.
Tt looks like the waterloo tn the
gigantic struggle between the unions ana
the railroads and, If the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor unions finally decide
to stick with the brotherhoods there
will be nothing left 10 do but TO hsht
together and keep harmony for the sake
of organized labor said James F. Num-
vice pre- esident Of the United Brotherhood
OF Shop Labovers and Maintenance o6
NEITHER CAN RUN THE OTHER
However. the brotherhoods are not
going TO be permitted to run the strike
Of tho a T. of l. unions any more than
the \ T. Of L. unions viii be permit
ted to run the brotherhoods end OF II
Unless a common agreement is effected
the a r Of L. groups viii run their
own strike and make their own settle
ment
With united front the men can win
and this IS no time to air family trou
bles in the unions
THE men IN my organization aad tho
A + Of l.. are rarin to go out and
there is doubt whether they can be
held back Is the brothcrhoods strike
Not all the A. I Of t. leaders are
agreed as TO the adN1sahilitv of the
brotherhoods plan Of four strikes ea-h
70 be called forty-eight hours apas
as announced by the International Ne.ys
Service last Saturday night Some IL
(Contirued on page two.A