The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-08-29
DIFFERENCE OF
OPINION AS TO
WORDING BALLOT
Separate One Is Sent Out for the
Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen.
WOULD COMPEL ROADS
TO REINSATE SCALE
While the Joint Ballot if Reject
ed Allow Men Privilege
of Quitting
(ey The Associated Prsssl

CLEVELAND, Aug. 28.-Strike ballots
on the acceptance or rejection of the
railroads 81 COO. .0o0. 900 reduction. ordered
tonight to 100000 member of the big
Four" brotherhoods and the Switchmen's s
Union of North America.
The ballots revealed a difference of
opinion among the chief executives of the
five organizations, the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers. Brotherhood of
Locomotive F'iremen and Enginemen,
Order of Railway Conductors and the
Switchmen using joint ballot, while the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen sent
out a separate ballot.
The trainmen's ballot stated that it had
been the intention Of all the organizations
to use joint ballot but that this was inn
possible because the ballot adopted by the
other organizations did not, in our
opinion, contain an impartial and un-
biased recital of all that is involved, nor
did it convey the assurance that the
wishes of the men, If agaiD5t working
for reduced wages, would determine the
question and that they would be permitted
to leave the service
The joint ballot declared that If the
membership vote was TO reject the wage
reductions which became effective on
july /, 1921, it is to be understood that
tho men will be permitted to withdraw
from the service of their respective COM
panfes unless satisfactory settlement can
be reached under the laws Of the organi-
cation. "
The proposition which confronts our
members and others said the trainmens
ballot. carries with it an attempt to
reverse that decision of the United States
railroad labor board on the wage reduc-
tion now in effect since July i, or else
persuade or compel the railroad companies
to reinstitute wage rates that the labor
board decided should be reduced.
Many general chairmen at the Chicago
meeting (July 50 favored an immediate
vote of the members on the wage cut.
and held that if the necessary majority
Of the membership voted to leave the SER
vice that a strike should be called forth
with in an effort to force a restoration
Of rates that were in effect on June so,
1921.
IAN members and others are hereby
notified that if the membership vote is in
lawful, necessary majority to leave the
service, rather than continue service un-
der the reduced wages now in effect, they
will on any or all lines where such a vote
is secured with the sanction Of the gen
erai grievance commttee) be given nee
essary authority by the president of the
grand lodge. The president of the grand
lodge will not with the information given
abovel undertake to prevent the wishes of
the men, as expressed in their ballot,
from being adhered to-
The number Of active members of the
five organizations to whom ballots were
mailed was estimated at $50 900 train
men, 115.o0o firemen, $4,000 engineers, SO, i
600 conductors and 1900 switchmen. IN
addition the wage reduction had been pre-
viously voted upon by the six shop crafts
under the railway employees department
of the American Federation of Labor
Although this vote was taken some time
ago, the result has not been publicly an
nounced, but has been understood to he
largely against the acceptance of the
wage reductions.