Evening star., 1921-10-20
"Can Settle, But
Not Postpone,
Strike"
LABOR LEADERS
STILL OPTIMISTIC
Hope for Agreement
Unless Unexpected
Occurs Today.
By the Associated Press.

OCCuIS L oSASAys
Ry the Associated Press
CHICAGO, October 2O.-The pros
pective rail strike cannot be post
poned, but it can be settled. Ihis was
the opinion of the four big brotner-
hood chiefs and the president of the
switchmen's union after conference
this morning at which, 1t was learned
they had considered all possible phases
of the situation as they may be pre-
sented at the meeting this afternoon
with the United States Railroad Labor
Board.
Union headquarters was optimistic
and there was strongly evident leei-
ing that there would be no STRIKE uh-
less something unexpected occurs 10
d tsrupt the conference this afternoon.
Present at the union conference We're
Warren s. S.one, grand CHIEF OF the
Erotherbood of Locomotive Engineers;
l.. T.. Sheppard, president OF the oToer
of Railway Conductors; w. u. Lee,
president of the Brotherhood OF kail-
road Trainmen; w. S. Garter, presiuehl
of the brotherhood of Locomotive FIRE
men and Enginemen. ana L. =; Sasnen; ~
North America.
.standnrds" Mark Time.
The eleven standard unions
marked time awaiting the outcome OF
the labor board meeting. W ME q
few of their general chairmeh Iiet
TO discuss strike plans. the malorits
crowded the hearing rooms OF tHe
1ahn- hoard to see the PennsylNanla
railroad cited for failure to OBEY the
,nard'S orders.
The Pennsylvania. through {. q;
Hiserman, general counsel, preseh.eu
TO the labor board, lengthy St9te
,nent signed by President Samuel hea.
setting forth the roads reason lor
refusing to comply with the poaru >
order to call a new election Oh eHh
ployeS' committees.
The board set aside previous eiI
ton because the road allowed lne
men to vote only on individuals, whlie
the federated shop crafts insisted the
name of their local should appear as
:, committee. s~~sS---ra-e
Election Raised Question.
Mr.. Rea's statement said that the
election raised the question wIether
the employees representation plan de-
veloped by the road should be impair
ed and it's usefulness largely destroy
ed by dealing with those who ad-
vocated a closed shop, the sympathetic
strike, and limitation of output in
framing rules governing operation OF
the shops during federal control"
The rules formulated while the
government directed the road reduced
the output of shop labor at least
81 per cent, the statement declared.
Ben W Hooper. public member of
t.,e Labor Board. examined Mr. Hiser-
l&an. reading from typewriter list
al questions.
" +. Good chairman of System
Federation No. 80, the shop crafts
local on the Pennsylvania lines, an
I,ounced that he had ordered new
strike vote taken among all shop
employees on the Pennsylvania lines.
both union and on-union and that the
shopmen would not strike until the
result of this ballot is known.
Result to He known November 1.
The result of the new ballot will
be known about the first of the
month"; Mr.. Good said. II a majority
of all shop employees vote for the
union to represent them, negotiations,
lie said, would be reopened with the
road, and if they are rejected then
and then only will we feel justified
in exercising our constitutional right
and taking advantage of the strike
vote already cast.f
Despite the optimism in brother
hood circles, J. NJ. McGrath. vice
president of the Railway Employees
department. American Federation of
Labor. the six federated shop crafts.
declared before the labor board hear
ing in the Pennsylvania case began
that a strike seemed to him to be
certain The shop crafts have voted
to strike, but have not issued strike
orders.
labor board decisions. McGrath said.
and the men are insistent on walking
out.
Members of Board Hopeful.
Labor board members were opti-
mistic over prospects OF an ADJUST.
ment of the brotherhood members
complaints, but no plans had been
announced for discussing with rall-
road executives the boards program
TO avert the strike by temporarily
maintaining the present wage level
and reducing freight rates.
Prior to the conference with the
brotherhoodS, the board had Sched-
uled hearing with Pennsylvania
railroad representatives on charges OF
violation of a board decision, requir-
ing a new election of shop crafts rep
reSentatives.
Plans to Run Trains Pushed.
Plans to operate passenger. mail
and milk trains were being pushed
by railroad executives, in event the
strike takes place, with resumption
Of freight traffic as fast as men can
he secured. From the ranks of men
recently laid off. pensioners. loyal
veterans and others with railroad eE-
nerience, railroad officials here today
declared they could recruit nearly
half million men. Roads entering
New York were advertising for men
to fill positions which may be va
Gated and roads entering Chicago are
evnected to take the same course
within the next few days
Between August, 1920. and June
1921, the number of railroad en-
pIoyes decreased by 611,6s1, accord
ing to figures of the Interstate COM
,nsrce Commission, and more than
60 600 of these were train service
men.