The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-10-25
UNION READSPASS
BUCK IN RAIL ROW
Put Blame For Strike on Labor
Board and Carriers.
WASH HANDS ON RESULT
coo Big Five" General Chairmen
Are Ordered to Appear at Hearing
Wednesday.

Cleveland. Oct. 24-Ite>p"n>ibiiity
for the nationwide railroad strike,
scheduled Ia begin next Sunday morn
Ing. WAS placed on the railroad labor
board and the carriers in Il statement
issued here.
This and the announcement all the
general chairmen of the Big Five
numbering some 600 men. also have
been cited to appear before the board
III Chicago, Wednesday, featured the
strike developments here.
Til" attitude of union chiefs was eX-
planned following Il conference of four
If the Big Five" leaders in a state
men; 10y Warren S. Stone, president Of
the brotherhood of Locomotive Engin-
their hope Il solution acceptable to the
employees may yet be found
1t WAS indicated the statement may
be regarded as an outline of the stand
the labor leaders will take when they
appear with the executives of the rail
roads before the labor boarl. The
statement follows:
w ItIl ItSdIi to lllS IOSlllotI VI lIlS
employees of the railroads at this time,
we can only say their representatives
are patiently awaiting for any develop
i!lpnr> that will appear TO offer il solu-
ton of the situation confronting Us.
we are not now, nor have we ever
been, ,IeSirous of being party to pre-
cipitatin~ a strike, but when it is quite
apparent the railroads propose not only
To reduce wages, but to take from their
employees practically all the conditions
If service that have been maintained
for many years and the railroad labor
board is unable, or fails to give Us
any assurance that the interests of en-
pluye< will be protected from such on
ElauyhtS. nothing is left for the employ
* but 10 stand on their constitutional
rights To retire from the service Of
these, carriers.
We are advised through the news
papers that the interstate commerce
commission has author. ed Il consider
able reduction in freight rates.
notwithstanding the fact that the
wages of the railroad employees have
been rr,ll ed II per cent since July |,
1 here WAS no talk of Il reduction of
frriyht> until this crisis arose. Now
the railroads are attempting 10 gain
the sympathy of the public i'll this
crisis by this late reducti of rates.
The l3ublic never would have receiv-
ed this reduction with the consent of
the railroads had the railroads not
been confronted with this emergency"
Besides Stone, others attending the
conference were w. G. Lee, president
of the brotherhood of Railroad Train
men: l. l.. Sheppard. president of the
Order of Railway Conductors, and w.
S. Carter, president of the Brotherhood
IF Firemen and Enginemen 7. G. Ca
shen, president of the Switchmen's
Onion of North America, the other
member of the big Five" is expected
to arrive here and attend future con
ferenceS
Establishment of open shop c0ndi-
tionS on the fremont & Gulf railroad
and the strike of trainmen on the In
ternational & Great Northern railroad,
were under discussion at the confer
encr, but none of the chiefs would com
menr on the situation on those roads,
except an announcement by President
Lee That he had received reports from
his general chairman on the Interna-
tional 4 Great Northern that practi-
cally 100 per cent of the trainmen had
quit the service.
one of the subordinate leaders said
If it is correctly reported the men on
the fremont & Gulf line have accepted
open shop conditions, it is due to their
few in number and having little hope
of their resistance being successful. He
intimatcd the fremont & Gulf Situa-
ton will he brought to the attention
Of the railroad labor board when it
meets in Chicago Wednesday.
l; was learned the chiefs have re
ceiVrd kilograms from large number
Of he general chnirmen of the five or
CARNATIONS reporting they had been
cited by the railroad labor board to
appear before that body in Chicago
Wednesday,
With the approximate 600 general
chairmen, the five chief executives of
the brotherhoodS, their vice presidents
and other grand officers, together with
the POO railroad executives. it was said
approximately 1000 officials of the I'M
ions and of the railroads have been
cited to appear.