The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-09-30
Strike Vote on Question Of Ac-
cepting or Rejecting the II
Per Cent Wage Cut.
AFFILIATED SHOP CRAFTS
ALREADY FAVOR STRIKE
Trainnen and Shopmen to Avoid
Responsibility Of Ordering
CessataiOn of Work

CHICAGO, Sept. ze.-President w.
9. Leo Of the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen tonight said that il the
strike vote cast bx ninety per cent OF
the 1875. 900 members in the recent
referendum on the wage reduction
should be supported by the grievance
committee. tentative strike order
would be issued, effective only when
and II the other unions should strike.
with this parting declaration, Presi-
dent w. G. Lee dispatched fifty-seven
general chairmen Of the unions to their
homes tonight with written iSstruc-
TOPS to call their grievance commit
leas. get their approval or disapproval
0f the strike vote. ana report back
here next week.
That the grievance committees viii
approve tho strike was predicted at
.dnion headquarters.
Lee expects to act on the commit
tee instructions before the Brother
hoods OF Engineers. Conductors, En-
glnemen and Trainmen and Switch
mens' unions Of North America have
completed the count Of their 259, 600
strike ballots, which viii start here
Monday.
The strike call, however. he indi-
Gated today. will provide for q walk
out Of tho trainmen when and II the
othsr unions strike. A walkout of one
union. unsupported by the others. win
not be undertaken.
That the strike, even II ordered VIII
never actually take place, continued
to Be the prevailing impression in
union circles today. While Lee has
promised to call the walkout II the
committees SO direct. he bluntly told
his men in a general letter on Septem-
Der IL that he would be remiss in his
duty II he failed to point out to them
that wages and working conditions
established since 1918 were the result
og a world war such as never before
known; that government reports In
dicate 100000 men out Of work; that
nearly all classes or labor have been
forced to accept some wage reduc-
tlons: that the pay Increases granted
them last year by the United States
labor board was based on the increased
cost Of living. and that government
reports show reduction Of more than
16 per cent In such living costs.
The strike vote was taken on the
question OF accepting or rejecting the
1e per cent wage cut made July /, by
the labor board.
Tabulation OF the vote had not been
completed tonight. but the ballots al
ready counted showed from so to e6
per cent Of the men on every railroad
system in the country voted to quit
work rather than accept the pay re-
duotion. No system failed to return
less than nine out Of ten votes for
the strike.
Lees determination to announce his
unions stand before the other brother
hoods complete their ballot count
shifts the entire responsibility for the
next move in the threatened general
strike to the four unions which took a
toint brotherhood Of Locomotive
Engineers. order OF Railway Conduc
tors: brotherhood Of locomotive
rlremen and Enginemen and Switch
mems Union OF North America.
The affiliated shop crafts, by vote
Of s25.OO0 to 4s,0 900 have already gone
on record IN favor OF a strike. but
have postponed action pending the de-
eisfon OF the other unions and action
81 the labor board on rules and work
ing conditions whish questions are be-
fore it.
"A the situation stands tonight II
the engineers. conductors. engine men
and switchmen walk out the train
men and shopmen viii join them, but
the first four viii have to assume re-
sponsibllity for the move. Observers
pointed out today that Lee and B. NJ
Jewell, president OF the shopmen. have
met the demands OF their men for a
strike, and vet avoided the response
bllity Of ordering a cessation OF work.