The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-24

This action increased the number of major rail unions which have voted not to strike now to n:ne and the number of railroad employees pound by such action to about three fourths of the country's total of ap- proximately 2,o00U0O.
 The vote was taken in meeting which lasted several hours and in which some of the officials at first favored a walk-out October SU, in protest of recent wage cuts. These officials finally swung over to d mo strike now" policy, but the question of quitting work will be taken up again after the labor board renders d decision on the rules and working conditions question now before 1t,
 Tonights action by the clerks left the slgnalmen and telegraphers the only organizations in the II standard rail unions which may Join the con ductors. firemen, engineers, trainmep and switchmen In the strike they have called.
 The telegraphers tentatively have aligned themselves with tho Dig five" but officials of this union satC tonight that the decision might be changed before the strike date ar
 
 voted.
 Decision Follows Debate
 While the official statement an nouncinE the elerks' action said that everything had been harmonious in the meeting, individual officials de- clared the decision had been mada only after vigorous debate. 1t was argued by these officials that thu clerks arc more closely related I4 kaG, -Ia t,. . |. C at big four brotherhoods than are any of the other unions and that conse- quently many of them thought they should support the big four in its strike call.
 The tusning point in the debaL. catue when 1t was said the officialt announced that they, like the leaders of the other "standard' unions had not been able to persuade the broth erhoods and the switchmen to Agree to support them throughout the pro posed strike. When it was announced that the brotherhoods had informed the officials that their men woulc return to work when their personal grievances had been settled, regard less of the action of other striking unions. the sentiment swung to the no strike plan. it vas said by those present at tho meeting
 A strike ballot now is being t8kcN among the 5000 organized signal men. the bailot being general fa terms and simply asking that tle officials Be aathorized Co take what action they deem necessary to pro tset the Interest ,of tlieta men,
 1'his A9ltqe. lrboaLlx WEI be g8 isiied by next WeJuesday. D. NY Hsli president Of the unton said today All chalrtnen have been notified to be ready tO c9iae here on short notice.
 Will Follow others
 The action Of these unions in de ciding not to walk out and thus mak ing it unlike ely that a strike would be joined by more than one fourth og the country's railroad employees probably would affect any action { be taken by the signalnen, Mir. Hels said
 We feel tho same way as the shop crafts--that a strike now on a wage question alone may not be advisable and that among the most important things to be considered are rules and working conditions. The labor board is expected to rule on that question 
 While no official anpousce-
 ment was made by the labor
 board. it was intimsted by mem-
 bers that the decision on rules
 and working conditions win not
 he Forthcoming until after Oc-
 tober 20. the dnte set for the
 proposed strike by the "big fiye.-
 Members let 1t become known that all decisions on questions on which there might be a strike will be with held until after that date, explaining that in that way 1t was hoped tho walkout would be averted as the men hf.t k.x. . Iax. f., ..yl to strike until after the hearing of rail and union chiefs which starts Wednesday.
 The beard announced tonight that it was summonding l.400 general ehairmen for the unions affected as we'll az the presidents The sessions will be open to the public and a large attendance is expected.
 Railroad officials tonight expressed the belief that the backbone of the proposed strike was broken when a majority of the standard unions. which control the railroad employees. decided not to strike october 30. AL though a strike would affect all train service men, officials said that serv- ice would not be impaired fur moro than day or two and that these men would be quickly replaced.
 Possibility that the situation on the Tremnnt and Gulf Railway company. a 67smile line in Louisiana, which recently installed the open shop. would be brought to the attention Q the labor board again by the uni 5ns caused Interest among board mem bers when they were shown the dis patches from Cleveland to that cf- feet.
 The board members said they con sidercd that matter settled, for. aftef recently ordering the open shop an- nouncement annulled, they received word that the 30 employees were sat isfied and that there was no disputes The board then withdrew the jurs- diction it had assumed, explaining X could not act unless there was dis pute.