The New York herald., 1921-07-02
Delegates in Chicago Refer
Decision to Committee
Headed by Jewell.
NEW MEETING TO-DAY
BIG Four Favor Acceptance,
Shop Crafts and Section
Men for Rejection.


final attitude toward the general II per
cent. wage reduction which became ef-
fective to-day on virtually every rail-
road in the country by order of the
United States Railroad Labor Board
Despite considerable dissatisfaction
displayed among many employees no
reports of sporadic strikes or any seri-
Gus threats of strikes were reported to
the union chiefs here to-day.
Approximately 1900 delegates from
system organizations of the Big Four
Brotherhoods. the shop crafts. the
maintenance of way men, telegraphers.
clerks and switchmen met here to-day
to canvass the situation Heads of the
Big Four and the sixteen American
Federation of Labor unions held a short
meeting this morning. before the Of
fiosrs separated to convene the organi-
zation meetings.
Referred to Committee.
The executives meetings, It was said,
took no action other than to place the
entire wage situation in the hands of a
ident of the railway employees depart
ment of the American Federation OF
Labor. The other members are f. II.
Fitzgerald, president OF the Brotherhood
OF Railway and Steamship Clerks,
Freight Handlers, Express and Station
Employees l.. E Sheppard, president OF
the Order of Railway Conductors; E. j.
Manion. president of the Order of Rail-
road Telegraphers, and Timothy Shea
vice-president Of the brotherhood oil
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.
While there was no indication OF dis
sension between the organizations over
the wage cut, definite line or demar'
cation developed. The Big Four, ac'
cording to Harry p. Daugherty. vice
grand chief of the engineers. were IA
vorable to accepting the cut as "neces
sary evil" although the brotherhood
might not indicate their attitude by any
| formal resolution of acceptance.
Rejection Favored.
On the other hand. the shop craft
! and maintenance of way men were sai'
TO be opposed to accepting the reduction
Both have taken referendum votes oi
the lower wage and both are reported
! TO be heavily in favor of its reJection
The maintenance of way group, com
posed largely of section men. was IN
hardest hit of all railway employees u
the wage reduction, the entire increas
granted by the Labor Board in July
1920. being wiped out
Separate meetings were held by eac
of the brotherhoods to-day and repor
of their action will be made at con
eolidated meeting of the big -FOUR 10
morrow morning. The clerks. telee
raphers and switchmen. whose genera
chairnen also met to-day, outlined thei
plans but refused to make any IN
nouncement. Reports of all the organi
cations will be made to the committe
of five In whose hands, 1t Is understood
final action is vested.
Mr.. Jewell tonight refused to max
any predictions on how soon the cor
ferences might be completed or wha
the final action would be. He indicated
however, that all of the unions in hi
department and all the brotherhood
would unite in whatever action wa
taken and that their final decision woul
be unanimous for all employees.
Pullman Company Yields.
After acceding to the dictum of tn
Labor Board directing that wage nego
tiations be held with union represent
atives instead Of the employees e
masse. the Pullman Company was tc
day given permission to make wag
reductions for shop crafts employee:
The reductions will amount to from
8 cents an hour and become effectiv
to-day.
That decision resulted directly fror
the boards backing of the shop craft
unions as the proper representatives {
the employees.
Early this month the Pullman Con
pany conferred with employees an
proposed wage reduction equal I
that granted the railroads by the Labc
Board on June l. The employees r,
fused T.. accept the reduction and III
board held that under the transports
ton act the conferences should hay
been held with duly selected represen
atives of the majority Of the employe,
and refused to grant the company a r,
duction. Negotiations were then begu
with 3. NJ. Jewell. head of the she
crafts. but when no agreement Wa
reached the company again submitte
It's petition to the board.
The company has maintained an "ope
shop policy for several years and Ina
declined TO recognize the union leader
as entirely representative of all en-
ployees for that reason.
Negotiations with the union repr,
sentatives of the clerks have not "