Arizona republican., 1921-10-28
PRESSURE IF PUBLIC
 VOTE
Growing Public Opinion That Strike Was Against Government Influenced Vote of Officials
[RepubIIcan A. p. Leased WIre1

CHICAGO, Oct. 27.-The rail strike scheduled for October 30. was averted tonight when leaders of the switch men, trainmen, conductors, engineers and firemeR at a joint meeting adopted resolutions withdrawing authorization of a walkout and of ficials of the railroad telegraphers' organization announced they would take similar action. These were the only unions which had authorized a strike.
 | The vote in the individual unions was unusually close. however, the | firemen particularly holding lengthy arguments before agreeing to cancel | 1ation of the strike order, the labol chieftains said. In some of the groups | the ballot was described as "the ! closest in history on a similar ques- | tion" All Of the differences were ironed out by the different unions. i however. and the final showdown found all of them casting their bal l lots for mo strike
 l.. E. Sheppard. president Of the Order of Railway Conductors, said that the unions had decided to call off the strike because of the grow | ing public opinion that the strike would be against the labor board, and ! consequently the government, and ! not against the railroads" Tt was evident also that the en- ! tire Washington administration was l opposed to us and that we have had ' little chance of gaining our objec | tives." said MT. Sheppard. We called this strike to gain cer- | tain rights to which our men were entitled" MT. Sheppard told The As sociated Press.
 Tt soon became evident, however. that the roads were succeeding in | their misleading propaganda to the effect that we really would be s<rik- | ing against the government.
 Government Against Strike
 This railroad propaganda found its way to the United States railroad labor board. This governmental agency told us that it would look on ! a strike as against it and the gov ernment and not against the roads. i and that the full force of the govern ment would be brought to bear against us if we walked out. Under | such circumstances there was noth- ing to do but annul our orders for the October 30 walkout."
 The first announcement Of the ex- ecuuves' action was made by MT. Lee.
 Rushing to the floor below the hotel
 meeting room. where dozens of news paper reporters were congregated, he
 smiling shouted:
 The strike IS off. boys, but I've
 only got one copy of the resolution
 and I'll show that to you tomorrow
 All of the union men were smiling
 as they came out and many of them
 jocularly pushed and showed each
 other down the stairs. To all queries
 most of them merely replied:
 'It's all settled See you tomor-
 row."
 The code message calling off the
 strike, arranged in advance, will be
 sent out tomorrow morning. the union heads said. \ code word will be sent
 to each general chairman of the
 unions and he will in turn forward , the orders to each of the subordinate
 officials under him.
 Postpone Wage Cuts
 In discussing the resolution annul- ling the strike orders. the union presi-
 dents declared that its outstanding , feature was that it was based on the
 statements made to the unions by Ben
 Keeper of the board that wage reduc-
 ticns would not be considered by the , boa1d for any employees until the rules
 and working conditions for those em-
 ploves had been settled. Mir. IIooper's arguments. made pos
 sible by the missionary work of Nr AIcAIenfmen, labor member of the
 labor board. were the turning points
 in the discussions over calling off the tie walkout, the union leaders said.
 The chieftains pointed out that the 5 strike absolutely was off' and that a waIkout could not now be called . uutI a new vote had been taken. 7 We are not making any plans now , for a new vote" said Mir. Lee. ] Railroad union leaders tonight re- ] fused to say what effect their action |. in calling off the strike would have , on the walkout Of 500 trainmen on the International & Great Northern rall-
 road a Texas line.
 We haven't had time to get to that