The Topeka state journal., 1921-03-10
VIII Wait Word From Harding
Before Issuing Order.
UNION CHIEFS FAVOR STRIKE
Want Wage Cut Held Until
After Investigation.
Are 100000 Affected by the
Omaha Conference.

Omaha. Neb., March 1O.--A strike
vote will be taken by employees of
packing plants of the United States
and Canada Immediately.
The referendum will be completed
by Monday. 1t will be on the question
of authorizing officials of. the union to
call a strike.
The strike will not be called until
President Harding has had an oppor-
tunfty to act on the appeal by the
union leaders who asked him to inter-
cede in the dispute between packers
and otheir employees oser a cut in
wages and abolishment of the basic
eight hour day.
Try Peace Methods First.
Dennis Lane. international secretary
treasurer of. the union packer en-
ployes, said that the general confer
ence of Amalgamated Meat Cutters and
Butchers Workmen in session here
decided today to start the strike vote
Immediately.
"a strike will not be called, how
ever, until efforts by peaceful methods
to force the packers to comply with
the agreement made during the war,
are exhausted" Lane said. Packer
employees will not go back to the ten
hour day"
Richmond Brennan, counsel for the
. butcher workmen, announced he will
l0aNo LOT SHlCdSO IOn1SnL ana ask
Federal Judge Alschuler for an order
| restraining the big Five" from put
ting the proposed wage cut and abro-
cation of the national agreement into
effect.
Action on the strike vote which was
ordered this morning blythe general
! conference, will be held up pending
court action, Lane said. The vote will
| be taken as ordered, Lane said, but
| no strike will be called until the courts
'have acted
| Appealed to Harding.
The union leaders, meeting here
appealed to Harding to prevent the
packers from carrying out their plan:
for reduction of wages and abolition
of the basic eight hour day. Unless
the president acts by Monday, the
strike vote will be started.
| Samuel Gompers. president of the
American Federation of Labor. wal
asked to present the workers side OF
the situation to Harding.
Sentiment among the union leader.
as expressed in the meeting, favored 9
strike. Dennis Lane, secretary of The
union of butchers and meat cutters
stated.
The workers representatives asked
Harding to appeal to the packers ts
hold in abeyance the readjustment IL
wages and hours of work, scheduled q
81 AiAto ClISCl I1Oiludyy the SGCro
tary of labor could ipRestigate charge:
made by the union heads that tn,
packers were attempting to force
strike.
100000 Are Affected.
A conference of the other trades
employed by packers including elec
tricians, steam filters, plumbers ant
carpenters. will be held in Chicag,
next week to consider the situation ant
the question of a general strike of al
packing house employees decided,
Estimates place the number O
unionized men in the packing industr,
at approximately 100000. These ar
located mainly in Chicago, Omaha
Kansas City, st. Paul, Sioux City, Buf
falo, Sf.~Louis. Fort Worth. Denver
indianapolis Cincinnati. Oklahom,
City, Jersey City. Wichita. Louisville
Baltimore, Cleveland. Milwaukee, Sal
Francisco, Portland Salt Lake City
New Orleans and st. Joseph.