The New York herald., 1921-10-28

OF the Switehmen's Union of North
America. declared tonight.
Mr.. Hooper is vice-chairman Of the
labor board and a member of the pub
lie group.
Railroad union leaders refused to
say to-nigh, what effect their action
in calling of the strike would have on
the walkout Of 500 trainmen which
was started last Saturday on the In
terna ational and Great Northern Rail-
road, Texas line.
I'VE haven't had time to get to that
yet" was the remark of one union
executive.
day of rail union meetings. sessions
of the United States Railroad Labor
Board and conferences between repre-
sentatives OF the two groups tonight
found the situation much improved.
The railroad labor board informed
the union chiefs that unless peace carne
by morning 1t would IDEAL with the
unions with ungloved hands" in its ct
tempts to prevent an October 80 waik
out
The statement from the labor board
was delivered to union committees
which called on the board during the
day to report progress of the Joint con-
ference of chieftains of the switchmen,
trainmen, conductors. engineers and Are
men, which was forced to adjourn late
to-day without taking action because
the lease on the meeting rooms had run
out. The session was continued at
lot s.tx &fx-~1 Ir< t
just before entering the night meet
ing Mr.. Lee gave the following state
ment to the Associated Press
There Is every reason to believe that
certain arrangements will be made to-
night whereby the strike scheduled for
October 80 will be called off.
Il am not at liberty to say what these
arrangements will be. but viii say that
certain conditions resulted from to-day's
the situation and which lead me TO be-
lieve that the meetings tonight will re-
suit in there being no strike"
Warren S. Stone. president of tho
engineers, said as he entered the night
meeting:
Something Is going to break tonight
I can't tell you what, though"
According to several members of the
Labor Board the labor committees which
conferred with 1t were told that the
board would defer until tomorrow its
which the carriers and the unions were
cited to find out If the transporta ti0n
act had been violated in the strike ac-
tivities.
Threat Used by Board.
The labor men were informed that
unless the crisis were settled by to-
morrow the board would take its most
drastic action thus far and that 1t had
to-day received assurances from Wash
ington that the full force Of the Gov
ernment would be behind it In any ac-
ton taken or In preventing an Interrupt
ton OF transportation through strike.
Statements that peace probably would
result from to-night's conferences Of the
union leaders also were made by several
chfeftains who heretofore have been
termed extremists" by their cohorts
and who have always been among the
first to advocate a strike.
Many rail labor leaders cancelled
reservations they had made on outgoing
trains during the evening.
Early in the day Ben w. Hooper,
vice-chairman of the board. attended
meetings of the union heads and pre-
scented copies of the boards recent reso-
lutions not to consider wage reduction
petitions for any class Of workers until
rules and working conditions for THAI
group had been settled. Mr.. Hooper
also was reported to have urged cancel
lation of the strike order pending formal
hearings on wages by the board and to
have outlined to the unions possible
plans for averting the walkout. He ap-
peared before them in a purely personal
capacity and not as representative of
the board, he explained.
Following Mr.. Hooper's statements
the unions held Individual conferences
and then went into a joint conference to
decide what action. IL any. would be
taken. Late this Afternoon William
Burke, Representative a. Large Of
Pennsylvania. general chairman Of
Baltimore and Ohio conductors,
and Peter Kilduff. an Official + the en-
gineerJ organization, went to tie board
to request deferment of the decision on
yesterdays hearing. II was to this COM
mittee that the board delivered its ulti-
matum that he unions, must act by to-
morrow or he board would deal with
them with ungloved hands," members
OF the board said.
Giving Unions n Chance.
These members declared that they tolt'
the committee the railroad group of the
board was insistent that Immediate and
emphatic" action be taken by IT.. and that
this action was being deferred only at
the counsel of public and labor groups
so that the unions might have chance
to act first.
Another committee of three vice-chiefs
of the engineers conferred for several
hours with Mr.. Hooper during the after
noon, and It was reported that this com
mittee also was informed of the board,
plans
The board remained In executive ses-
sion most of the day. awaiting word
from the unions and discussing its state
ments on yesterdays hearing. which
probably will be issued Tomorrow.
The afternoon union meeting was err
livened when Mr.. Stone smashed the
camera Of photogr: pher who attempts
ed to take his picture as he came out OF
the meeting room. Mr.. Stone chased a
photographer several blocks yesterday
when he attempted to snap the brother
hood chief Mr.. Stone badly cut one
hand in hitting at the photographer to-
day.
MN M nDso YvxAyag