The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-28
Vote Is Ss5,OOO to $4,000
Against Federal Award.
Brotherhood Chiefs Are Trying
to Prevent Strike.
AFFECTS HALF OF EMPLOYEES
Unions in Poor Shape FiRan-
ciaIIy for Walk-Out.
Final Rejection Puts Big Stick
in Hands of Employers.

Chicago, June 2S.-With the vote of
the railway shopmen Overwhelmingly
opposed to acceptance of a wage re-
duction from IS to II cents an hour,
as ordered by the United States rail-
way labor Board, railway circles be-
came alarmed that the nation might
be confronted with a serious railway
crisis within a fortnight The shop
crafts employees voted $4,000 in favor
Of acceptance of the wage slash with
3S5,000 opposed to it.
Unofficial reports of the trend of
the vote in the four railway brother
hoods indicated the wage slash,
amounting generally to IL per cent
and effective July 1, was not popular,
and that the brotherhoods' chiefs
might be asked to call a strike. 1t
is understood the brotherhood chiefs
themselves are against strike.
Vote Affects 100000.
The vote of the shopmen actually
affects about 100000 railway workers,
or about half of those employed by ali
railway systems in the country. The
remainder of the men-the clerks,
switchmen, engineers, conductors ano
trainmen-have left final action re-
garding a strike to committee OF
their officers and various chairmen OF
divisions. , They will meet here next
Friday to canvass the situation.
It is pointed out even should the
railway workers general committee
recommend acceptance of the wage
cut, the shop craft employees vote
against it scarcely can be ignored The
employees, as a whole, have agreed to
abide by a majority action and the
shopmen represent half or more OF
the total railway men.
The result of the shopmen's vote
was tabulated in the office of B M
Jewell, president of the railway en-
ployes' division of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor.
Labor officials are declared to be
doing all they can to prevent a nation
= astrous effect it would have upon the
countrys already crippled economic
life.
Financially, it is pointed out. the
railway men are scarcely in readiness
for a strike. A strike benefit fund OF
some $2O,O0O,000 has been accumu-
lated during the past three years by
the men but with 100000 men draw
ing only a weekly benefit Of $40 from
It. the war fund would last only
couple of weeks.
Sheet Metal Workers Ready.
The Amalgamated Sheet Metal
Workers International council was
ready today to lead the ranks Of or
ganized labor in refusing to accept the
wage cut ordered by the railway labor
board. L. NJ. Wicklein, secretary of
the council said:
THE shop craftsmen, along with the
sheet metal workers, are overwhelm-
ingly opposed to a wage reduction at
this time. We represent about half
million railroad employees. Refusal to
endorse the cut may be the forerunner
of a general strike which we wish to
avoid, but we cannot accept cut with
the present living conditions"
Should the wage cut be rejected by
the workers and their chiefs, both the
union leaders and the railways VIII be
armed with powerful weapons to be
used in further negotiations the
railroads would have the backing of
the board while the union chiefs
would be in a position to flourish the
strike club.
A new development in the situation
concerns the possible abrogation of
the national working agreement which
was to be effective Friday, under the
United States railway boards dtrec-
ton. Many of the railroads will be
unable to reach agreements with en-
ployes by July l on rules submitted
for the national code.
The labor board itself lacked time
to draft a set of rules which it had
intended for such lines as found it
impossible to reach an agreement
with the railway unions.
Failed To "Get Together.
A majority of the railroads have
either failed in the effort to carry out
the boards instructions to get to-
gether" with employees on next work
ing agreements, or have not yet COM
pleted the task. It is reported that a
few Of the railroads have made no ef-
fort TO meet the employees represen-
tatives on the matter.
The board will Immediately go into
this phase of the situation. 1t was
considered probable that the board
either would direct the national
agreements to continue in force for a
fixed time or indefinite time beyond
July /. or it could permit the whole
matter TO revert to the status that
obtained prior to the government con-
troll of railroads.
However. working agreements may
take a back seat until the railway
question is settled
President Jewell said today the
shopmen's vote had not been COM
pletely tabulated and since it was
secret vote, refused to discuss the
strike ballot figures which had been
obtained from his office.
Enroute to Chicago today were
representatives of the shop crafts
union, the clerks. maintenance of
way men, telegraphers and the four
brotherhoods 1t has been indicated
that the maintenance of way men, n
majority of whom are classed as COM
mon labor. will be practically unani-
nous against the wage cut. They
were deprived of the entire amount
OF the 1920 raise granted by the rail-
road labor board.
Some of the labor officials have
stated that no strikes will be called
officially, but that the men may quit
work If they so desire. However, the
entire railway situation will reach a
crisis with the meetings starting
here Friday and the prospect is that
a supreme test will be afforded the
workings of the transportation act