Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1921-10-20
I !. !
Tn|REATSMAKE
!: ] ]. ROADS WORRY
Promise to Reduce the
Rates If Wages Are
80 Decreased
IAssociatod Pressl

Chicago, Oct. 14.-Warren 8.
Stone, grand chief of the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers, re-
quested a conference with the rail-
road executives In session here on be-
half Of the six big brothrhood unions
which have voted to strike. The
executives took the request under
consideration. nt
Chicago, Oct. 14.-Confronted by
a possible railroad strike over wage
reductions and insistent demands
from shippers for lower freight rates,
railway executives at their meeting
today declared that transportation
charges win be decreased In proper
tion to future wage reductions. Rail-
way executives also, 1t Is reported,
will consider q proposal to seek an
amendment to the transportation act
transferring to the Interstate Com
merce Commission the adjusting
authority vested in the railway labor
board. Executives declined to say
what definite steps were under way
for further wage reductions. The
strike vote Of the 'brotherhoods and
shop crafts resulting from the July
reduction of IL per cent was but
force to ward of further wage reduc-
tions, the executive declared.
The railroad crisis was rendered
more acute when the labor board
turned down a decision paving the
way for restoration of piece work.
The board authorized railroads to
open negotiations with the union for
rentOratiOn Of piece work now barred
by one Of the sh0pcrafts' national
agreements. 1t is reported that Octo-
ber 81 is tentatively agreed upon by
union heads for sectional strikes of
employees in strikes finally decided ON.
New York, Oct. 14.-Freight rates
throughout the country are to be re-
,duced Is to 20 per cent, to take ef-
feet almost Immediately, according to
an announcement to be made by the
STANDARD Daily Trade service"
The reduction, to apply to all
classes of commodities on all rail-
roads, is intended to Stimulate busi-
ness on a scale that will solve the
unemployment problem and start a
boom in building and other industries. |
Chicago, Oct. 15.-Sixteen railroad
unions with a membership Of two
million have taken q secret strike vote
and authorized their officers to order
a walkout If deemed advisable, @. j.
president of the order of rail-
road telegraphers, announced. 1t will
be the greatest strike in history, w.
G.. Lee, president Of the train men, is
quoted as saying, when he left the
union conference. 'It is life and
death struggle for our organization
and we are not going into this with
BUR eyes closed, our house is in order :
and we are ready"
Union leaders who had been hope
'ul of averting strike, some Of {
whom even opposed it, declared the {
lction of the railroad executives yes S
erday in deciding on further wage /
eductions has destroyed the /. last {
lope Of peace. II
One high official Of the union an
lounced that the date for the strike a
lad been set but declined to reveal 4
t. October 80 has been reported as i
he day. s 5a e
Railroad brotherhood chiefs, after b
two weeks conference with their t
hartman and executive committees, v
vound up their session this afternoon r
Without issuing a strike call and with o
10 announcement Of their conclu- t
ions. High officers Of brotherhoods 4
repaired to leave for Cleveland to- t