Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-10-21
.,ts,tc ADVISED TO LAY
AN SUPPLIES IN ANricl-
PATTON OF RAIL STRIKE
BY LAURENCE TODD

-
u.shtngton-Adviee TO the work.
- slass public to lay in supplies and
.rsnare in every other way for a
neral stoppage OF rail rransporta-
mas given by Vim. II. Johnston.
'sIsnt Of the International Associa-
- Nachinists, the largest OF the
ii.,sd shop crafts. He had received
.s1agram from the heads of the train
-,fee hrotherhoods at Chicago in
s.r,.i.g him that they had sent out a
- call for October 80. and that the
Ii would take place unless the
s,,irosd executives should meanwhile
.-,sa 10 reopen discussion of the pay
-. Wb's h was made effective in July.
IF the attempt Is made to bring on
fnr.her reduction in wages" said
I,bs-ton. nothing whatever can pre-
yont general stoppage of rail SER
- in this country. Under the cir
e,nstaneps everyone should prepare
for H.
n Davis, legislative representa-.
tive of the Brotherhood OF Boilermak-
a,s said that il was evident that the
rajlraad eompanes wanted a strike
nov hut that since the Railroad La
hor poard had gone so far in taking
away the gains m2de by the organized
rail workers In recent years, the work
ors had no alternative but to defend
themselves II they failed to strike,
under the proyocation and the injus-
tices forced upon them by the com.
nanies and by the board. they would
be destroyed anyhow.
loff of "a potl
Clerks. declared that the strike could
not last long, because the whole
country depends for its daily food sup
ply upon the smooth running of the
railroads. Unlike England, il could
no; meet the crisis by the use of au-
tomobies Not city of any size in
the United States has more than two
or three days supply of food on hand
At any time. fts markets have storage
space only sufficient for a few days.
Even If automotive power were suffi-
c;ent. the necessary gasoline could not
be distributed without railroads. AS
for the quick mobilization of strike.
breakers he asserted that the indus
try relies so fully upon the individual
workers special knowledge of his job
that the complete manning of a sys-
TEN by new men would be futile to-
ward the actual moving of traffic
At the Department of Labor the sit.
uGtion was viewed with grave concern.
II was recalled that when the last
strike was impending-at the time the
Supreme Court was holding up its de-
cisiop on the Adamson Act-President
Wilson appointed Secretaries Wilson
aud Lane. with Samuel Gompers and
Daniel wizard, as his personal repre-
seatatives to go to New York, meet
the spokesmen Of both sides. and force
a compromise An hour before the
strike was to have begun the compro
mise agreement was signed and the
strike was prevented. Ii is considered
possible that President Harding will
appoint similar commission to try
10 harmonic the demands of the cor
pOrations with the necessities of the
employees.
Until the passage of the EschSCum-
minis Transportation Act the handling
Of labor disputes involving the move
ment of trains In interstate commerce
rested with the Railroad Board of
Cancellation and Mediation, commonly
known as the Chambers Board This
Labor Board. Senator Cummins now
suggests that the companies should
not try to enforce another wage cut
until the cut has been approved by the
Wage Board, but the companies de-
cline to wait. Only the President, or
a resolution of Congress, can stop
them. They count on the support Of
both as against the organized rail
workers.
Outside the labor circles and the La.
Dor Department strike talk is ridi-
culed here Reactionary politicians
are virtually unanimous in declaring
that while they hope the strike will
De attempted, they are certain that 1t
VIII be fizzle, "and then we shall be
rid OF this bogey of the power of the
railroad brotherhoods. In much of
this comment there is included a wish
mat the United Mine Workers could
De brought in for licking at the
same time
Vice-President Atterbury of the
pennsylvania took the occasion to
sehd TO every press correspondent in
the capital copy of his recent speech
70 pennsylvania employees, in which
ne SAID; Now apparently there isn't
much left but still further reduc-
tlon IN wages. II is facing us unless
we want receivership or government
ownership"
PRESIDENT Harding understands that
s, 1ne demand for government ownership
WIN remain as long as the railroad
unions remain. He is strongly op-
posed TO government ownership. His
sl1'ude toward the strike will be in
Huenced by that attitude.