The New York herald., 1921-10-29
Managers Say Board Will
Have to Change Ruling
and Advance Calendar.
WORKERS CLAIM VICTORY
Point to Large Sums Spent by
Roads for Defence-SOme
See Strike Only Deferred.

ened strike of train service em
ployees without making concessions
to the brotherhoods. the country's
steam carriers plan to present soon
to the railroad labor board proposals
for further reductions in the pay OF
all classes Of employees. In the pro-
ceedings which led the labor leaders
to call off the strike at the behest
of the labor board the railroad ex-
ecutives did not yield single point
of the decision taken by the Associa-
tion of Railway Executives in Chi.
cago on October IA to seek at once
a concurrent reduction of railroad
wages and freight rates.
The foregoing statements were
made unequivocally yesterday by In.
terests close to the Association OF
Railway Executives and the Eastern
Presidents Conference.
1t was pointed out that the union
leaders withdrew their strike orders
largely on the statement of the rail.
road labor board that the submis.
sions Of carriers and employees on
rules and working conditions shall
be completely disposed of as to any
particular class OF employees before
hearing is had on any question OF
wages affecting said class of EN-.
ployees on any carrier affected by
Decision No. 147," the decision which
ordered the II per cent. wage reduc.
tion into effect on July /. against
which the Big Five brotherhoods
threatened to strike.
No Pledges by Carriers.
1t was further asserted that the
carriers came out of the Chicago con-
ferences without having assumed any
obligations as to their future labor
policy in exchange for immunity from
the threatened walkout The state
ment of the union leaders that the
forces OF the Harding Administration
and all governmental agencies were
against the employees was taken here
/ as a tact admission OF tardy recogni-
/ tion that the cause ofAhe strikers had
! failed utterly to enlist public sym
pathy From the outset the union
! leaders are believed by railroad Off
cials here to have realized that no
effective strike threat could be made
| against a wage cut which has already
been in effect almost four months.
When the railroad executives decided
at their Chicago meeting two weeks ago
to seek a second wage reduction. which
would be Immediately translated into
! freight rate reductions. the statistical
| departments of the Individual railroads
were instructed to prepare wage reduc-
tions for all classes OF employees 10 be
proposed soon after November l as
practicable. At no time during the strike
crisis were these instructions withdrawn
il was learned here yesterday and
despite the statement of purpose by the
railroad labor board the railroad execu-
| tives see no reason 20 change their plans
now.
In connection with the boards asser-
tion that il will not consider wage re-
visions until existing rules disputes have
been settled IL was stated by railroad
officials here yesterday that only two
rules controversies affecting the train
service employees are before the board
at this time. These disputes deal with
/ overtime pay rates and conditions gov.
erning the pay OF train operators on
turn around service" at terminals
Affecting virtually all other classes of
employees great number OF disputes
as to working conditions have re-
mained undecided by the board since
presentation in early spring.
Nothing to BaIk Carriers.
None OF these things. however. win
keep the railroads from seeking through
the regular procedure the wage reduc.
tious deemed necessary by them In orders
TO enable the carriers to meet the coun-
tryW ide demand of shippers OF all classes
for lower transportation rates il ~
stated here on the best authority
This procedure viii follow that estab-
lished when the railroads obtained the
t2 per cent. wage cut. which was effected
July I. Within the next few weeks the
first OF the railroads may be expected to
notify their train service employees of
a proposed reduction OF 10 per cent. in
their wages and all other classes OF en-.
ployeos OF reductions IN pay TO CORE.
spond with the going rates OF pay for
similar kinds OF work in other industries
The posters Will bear the usual thirty
days notice. during which conferences
will be held between the arrangements
and their employees in an attempt to
agree upon the reductions. Fallins
agreement disputes will be certified To
the United States Railroad Labor Board
for decision.
As 10 the ability of the Railroad Labor
Board TO adhere to Il, purpose of what
threatens TO be indefinite postpoucmeng
OF further wage reductions. a statement
made yesterday by the chief executive
OF one OF the large Eastern railroe g. Is