The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-10-26
ROADS WILL NOT
DEFER PROPOSED
FUTURE WAGE CUT
Labor Board Turns to 2oaaFti
to Avert Big Strike
STONE MAKING TROUBLE
Acknowledgement Says Presi-
dents Attitude toward Walk
out VIII Soon Be Known

Chicago, Oct. rs (By the Associat.
ed Press The United States labor
board today initiated "an unofficial
government inquiry into the national
railroad crisis to formally determine
whether the threatened strike OF some
100000 train service men scheduled to
begin Sunday constitutes a violation
of the boards decisions on the terms
OF the transportation act.
Leaders OF the six railroad unions
which have called the strike and the
railroad executives are present.
Chairman Barton, In an opening
statement made II plain that the in
lQuiry is being conducted entirely
on the initiative Of the labor board
Chicago. Oct. 2s.-The United
States railroad labor board yesterday
turned TO the railroads In its attempts
to avert the rail strike scheduled for
October 30, suggesting that the roads
temporarily postpone seeking furtheS
wage reductions because the board 5
docket was so crowded that wage de-
cisions for all classes of employees
could not be rendered before July
1922. The carriers, however, inform
ed the board that they were power
less to take any other position than
their present one.
In . formal statement the board
informed the carriers that it would
not consider any petitions for wage
cuts until the questions of rules and
working conditions. now before it.,
were fully settled. The board then
unofficially let the carriers know, it
was learned, that since a ruling on
wages could not be handed down be-
fore July. 1922, 1t would like the
roads formally to announce postpone
ment of their plans to seek further
pay cuts. taking tA.e attitude that
such an announcement might avert a
walkout
The committee OF the Association
OF Railway Executives which con-
ferred with the board announced,
however, that the carriers would
stand pat on their plans to seek new
pay cuts on the ground that wages
must be reduced before freight rates
could be lowered and that since the
strike was called technically in pro-
test of wage cuts already authorized
by the board, there was no necessity
for the roads to take other than an
inactive part in the strike controver-
sy between the board and the unions.
Cleveland, Oct. 26.-Unless the rail.
road labor board has changed its at
titude concerning the necessity OF
general chairmen Of the five labor or
ganizations appearing at the Chicago
it is anticipated that one OF
the first legal squabbles to be decided
will be on the action of Warren S.
Stone, president OF the Brotherhood
OF Locomotive Engineers, in notifying
his general chairmen that they need
not answer the labor boards citation.
Mr., Stone announced last night that
only he and six grand officers, in
whom the authority of the organiza-
tion is vested will attend the confer
ence
Other brotherhood chiefs would not
indicate whether their general chair
men would be present, excepting w.
G. Lee. president OF the Brotherhood
Of Railroad Trainmen, who has order
ed the approximately 200 general
chairmen and grand officers of his or
ganization to he present.
In a statement w. S. Carter, presi-
dent of the brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen, said
the men are determined to peacefully
leave the service of the railroads until
a satisfactory adjustment has been
Mr. Carter also said that
'if press reports are to be taken at
their face, the whole power of the Ad-
is going to be used to de-
feat the strike of the employees adj
ding, Not one word comes through
the press that any influence is beins
used upon the railroad corporations.
Washington, Oct. 25--Announce-
ment of the course of action to be
by the government in the
ayent of general railroad strike
may be expected from President Hard
ing, it was indicated yesterday by
Attorney-General Daugherty.
The President, Mr.. Daugherty said, |
would not doubt SAY what he had
10 say when the time came" and
he people throughout the country
would know what the governments
policy comprised. Those RESPONSE
Die for the situation would have to
AXE the consequences, the attorney
general added.
While maintaining his disbelief that
/ general strike would materialize,
Mr.. Daugherty declared the justice
department was prepared to act 'ju- |
within the law" to prevent
/ tieup of the country's transportation |
facilities. He did not discuss specif-
ally the department plans, explaining
he government might use one
method in one section, adopt another
,ourse of action in another and use
III of its legal weapons in a third 10.
'ality.