Norwich bulletin., 1921-10-17
STRIKE WOULD NOT CAUSE
 GENERAL TIE-UP OF INDUSTRY

Chicago, Oct. 16.-(By the A. PA railroad strike would have little effect on the average large industry of the middle west but would result in closing down all of the packing plants within three weeks and undoubtedly would force many small factories to close, representatives of some of the chief industries of the re- zion said tonight
 Tentative plans were being drawn up through which it was said Chicago and the large cities could be kept supplied with no@ food commodities. although it was beIeved that meat supplies would run short quickly, the packers assert ing that their stocks on hand are smaller than in any previous years. An official of one. packing concern said that the meat packers had been. operating at only 35 per cent. normal strength for more than a year and that as they were entirely dependent on the transportation systems they could not operate during an effective railroad strike. Approximately 75, GOO men would be thrown out of work through closing of the big five packing plants, officials said, although in normal times the number would have been much 1 larger.
 George F. AIeyercord president of the Illinois Manufacturers Association. said l reports he had received indicated that the larger industries would have no trouble l in operating in spite of d railroad strike. There would be no general tie-up ot | industry, he said '-Most'of the larger in dustries have been operating on a greatly reduced scale and have an abundance of raw material on hand l have received many reports today from factories say in gthat they world go. right ahead with their work and stere their output. l Only the srnai. hand-to-u7outh u1anu- lecturers would be hurt Most of them
 would have to e'ose their plants" l John w O'Leary, former head Of the 1 Chicago Chamber Of Commerce, and a member of the board of directors Of half
 dozen of the larger central western in lustries, also predicted that a strike would not seriously hamper the big in- ] dustries.
 John NJ Glenn. secretary, of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, said he would imediately warn all manufacturers to
 start storing supplies of coal as a coal
 shortage was the orly real dangers to in- dustry that he could see in the proposed strike.
 Coal supplies in this section are con siderabIy lower than they were at this time last year" said Mr. Glenn. "Onls
 a shortage of coal could force a majority of our industries to close and we vii immediately start laying in supplies 1T preparation for a railroad strike"
 Automobile dealers said their business might even be increased by a strike through consequent increased demand fol
 cars Machines would be transported by
 their own power, it was said. City off cials declared that they would take actior
 to conserve the city's food supplies tn,
 minute the strike started. Tentative
 plans, as arranged by Health Con1mis
 sioner John Dill Robertson and other of
 ficials, cali for mobilization of 2,5et
 trucks in which to bring supplies to Chi
 cago. Dr. Robertson said that most O
 Chicago's food either was manufacturec here or brought in from nearby sec tions and that trucks easily could keeI the foodstocks virtually at normal.
 The food supplies in the packing plan store houses, however, were said to b.
 sufficient to last Chicago only abeu l three weeks.