The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-26
WANTED TO GIVE TRUTH
TO men, TRAIkMEN HEAD
TELLS RAIL LABOR BOARD
Barton Predicts Hearing
Will Be Completed by
Thursday.

Chicago, Oct. 26.-(By the Al O.
member of the United States rail-
road labor board. conducting the
hearing called by the board to in
vestigate the threatened railroad
strike, today called W. c. Lee. pres
ident Of the trainmen, to the stand
and questioned him about the
strike order.
Lee told how the strike vote was
taken and the walkout ordered. He
told the board he withdrew from
the joint meeting of the other
unions because their strike resolu-
lion covered questions he did not
think were involved.
1 took the position" Lee said,
that for once in my life, at least,
wanted TO tell the truth to my men
about the facts as l saw them"
Reads Circular Letter.
Lee read into the record a cir
cular letter sent to his men
while they were voting on the
strike, in which he pointed out that
wages must come down and that
100000 unemployed men were
seeking jobs.
Mr.. Lee declared the differences
between himself and the other un-
ions arose when he insisted on 4
'clean-cut statement" and pointed
out there was no possibility of re-
opening negotiations with the
roads, using the strike vote as a
club, because the labor board, and
not the roads, had ordered the wage
cut.
AT Il o'clock the board recessed
until o'clock
Lee had not completed his state
ment
Chairman Barton predicted the
hearing would be completed by
Thursday noon
Continuing his questioning Of
President Lee. Mr.. Hooper asked
who had the proper authority to
call off the strike. Mr.. Lee said
only the general committee but
that MIR. Lee as chief executive,
could send the word when the com
mittee had reached a "Satisfa Glory
settlement"
Night Session Slated
Chairman Barton announced a
night session would be held from z
to 8 o'clock just before the resump-
ton of Mr.. Lees testimony.
Mr.. Lee said his general chair
men now in Chicago could issue the
necessary orders for recalling the
strike order, but only when the
roads made such settlement as the
men demand.
Mr. Hooper brought out that Lee
had told his general chairmen to
obey the boards order and appear
today.
go Down With Men"
In response to questions about
the meeting with the railroad exec
utives here on Oct. II, he declared
nothing said at that conference had
anything to do with the trainmen's
decision to strike. The board has
claimed Jurisdiction over the strike
dispute on the ground that the con-
ference ended in dispute. Mr..
Lee declared he had already reach
ed his decision before the Oct. Il
meeting.
ITO me there was only one thing
to do" he continued. That was to
go down with my men, if they go
down. or resign, and l preferred to
go with them.
Won't Consider Wage Cut.
On the eve OF the meeting the
board announced that the brother
i hoods complaints, largely over
rules and working conditions, must
be settled before the additional 10
per cent wage cut proposed by the
roads could be considered.
Union leaders have asserted that
this further reduction bulked large
/ ly in their grievances.
Roll call of the 500 general chair
men of the brotherhoods was
! planned by the board as the open
ing action OF the conference today
and then Chairman R. n. Barton
I was to read Il statement outlining
/ the questions To be considered. The
( remainder Of the sessions will be
Continued on Page ThiTteen.J