The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-17
union HEADS TO
MEET TUESDAY
TO PLAN STRIKE
Leaders of Some Railroad
Orders Oppose WaIkout.
SsBig Five" Membership Num-
bers Only 100000 Employees.
TIE UP ORDERED OCTOBER 80
Break May Occur Between Two
Big Groups.
Entire Santa Fe System Affected
by Strike Order.

Chicago, Oct. 17.-While heads of
the big four brotherhoods and of the
Switchmens Union prepared to meet
in Cleveland tomorrow to complete
plans for the rail strike, which they
have called for October 80, union
chiefs today said that leaders of some
of the eleven other railroad labor
organizations still were opposing a
waIkout and would attempt to prevent
their men joining the five organiza-
tions which have definitely committed
themselves to d strike. The big five"
membership numbers only 100000 OF
the two million railroad employees,
May Be Break Between Groups.
Whether the opposition of these
leaders will result in break between
the two groups, when seldoIh nave oS
onerated ,vholeheartedly on any queS-
tion will not be fully revealed uhlll
the meeting of the general ehalrInen
of the eleven unions here some tlIhG
this week when issuance OF a 1orIndi
strike call will be voted on formally
Several railroad labor chieftains to-
dav said, however, that they be1eVed
fhe ma aiority would rule and that It
would be a case of majority strlke'
all strilxe'' They professed to see
Eleven Unions To Act.
Leaders of these eleven unions at a
meeting last week informally pledged
+baToseIves to support the brother
hoods in a strike and since then nave
been going ahead with their plans Iof
a waIkout altho deferring issuance OIL
the actual strike call. Heads of sew
era1 of the eleven organizations have
announced that they viii order the
yaIlxout while others were more con
servative in their statements. H. ):
NTanion president OF the Oruer u
Railroad Telegraphers in st. LOUIS lasC
night denied the assertion or IhonldS
NJ Pierson. vice president, that 1t mad
been decided to call out the telegraph n n
ers saving that the question would
not be settled until the meeting mere.
e. F. Cradle, head of the Z2U,Ooo
maintenance of way employees IlTno-
thy Healy, leader of the stationary
firenen; E. H. Fitzgerald, preslaeh5s !
of the Steno pliers, Clerks ana
Freight Handlers union, and othefs
expressed the opinion that Vlftually
nothing could avert the strlke.
shop Men Oppose Strike.
p NJ Jewell, head of the shop
crafts. numbering 476,000 members
has vigorously opposed strike on W WIhe
wage question alone, but SAID TO-DAY
he feared it was too late 10 stoP q
valkout and that he doubteo II hi5 NJ,
aid he would prefer to have ms men men
strike on the rules and working con
ditiOns question together with tne
wage matter but refused to say deLi-
nitelv that he would try to hold BACK
The differences over the advIsabll-
ftv of a strike have arisen primarily
thru failure of the brotherhoodS anu
, the other eleven to reach a satlsIac-
tory agreement on the duration OF the
strike labor leaders said. One union
nresident said that while he was GER
tain the brotherhoods would have the
s1lDport of the others in the sctual
IvaIIxo1t the heads of the eleven or
ganizations were not pledged TO stay
ont after their differences were settled
and might return to work whenever
tbev saw fit Another official said
that it was feared the brotherhoods
might return to work and leave the
unsxilled workers holding the bag.
Not Members of American Federation
The brotherhoods are not members
Of the American Federation of Labor
while the shop crafts organization are
and if is because of this fact that they
have not always worked in complete
harmony. although not actually oppos-
ing each other, according to un1or
men . ,--,.
While these differences Of opinion
ara being discussed informally by the
Inion heads preliminary to the forma
meeting this week, preparations for G
walkout are ioing ahead among all o.
the organizations. From the meeting
in Cleveland tomorrow the organiza
+ion. meeting here later, expect tt
have word as to Just how far tht
CONTINUED on page slx.l