New-York tribune., 1921-10-19
Nation, Public and Ii
Unions Join i'm an Effort
to Prevent Walk-Out;
Farm Bureau Also Acts
[ PROGRAM Follows
White House Plan
Question of W orking Con-
ditions Is Left Open;
Craft Meetings Called

CHICAGO, Oct. 18 (By The Asso-
ciated Press) - Efforts to avert the
nationwide strike scheduled for Octo
Der 80 tonight found governmental
agencies, representatives of the pub
lie and some railway labor unions
taking action simultaneously, which
all hoped would prevent. tle-up of
the country's transportation system
through a walk-out of nearly 100000
employees, in protest Of wage cuts.
Foremost among the moves being
made by the different groups was q
mass meeting between the United
States Railroad Labor Board and the
heads Of the five unions which al
ready have authorized their men to
strike, called for Thursday by the
board and at the request of President
Harding
Charged by. President Harding 70
take every possible step to throttle
the threatened strike, Chairman r. NJ.
Barton Of the Labor Board reached
Chicago late tonight. coming direct
from the White House.
Harding's Desire Emphasized
"The President is very anxious to
do everything possible to avert this
said on his arrival. "The matter has
been placed in the hands Of the board
to see what can be done
The kilograms summoning the heads
Of the four brotherhoods and the
swtchmen's union were sent out by
Walter L. McMenimen, labor member
of the board, at the request Of Judge
Barton, who was then in Washington
conferring with the President. The
Labor Board chairman remained in con-
ference with the President until late
/ yesterday, their conclusions resulting
in the summons to the labor leaders
No fixed plan was laid down in the
White House conference, but opinions
Of board members, coupled with the an
nouncement OF the public group in
Washington Sunday, indicated that the
following would be the proposals taken
up in Thursdays conference:
Immediate suspension of the strike
order pending further negotiations
looking TO a settlement.
Use Of the brotherhoods' influence
to forestall strike orders by any of
| the other labor organizations now
considering q walkout.
Proposal of a platform on which
final settlement might be reached,
to include these points, with the pro-
vso that there will be no strike:
Withdrawal for a definite period of
the proposed request by the roads
for further wage decreases and i'm
mediate reduction Of freight rates by
the roads.
Two Points Left Open
This leaves open the two points said
by the train service neO 20 be
paramount. One is the qGnstion OF
time and the other is the cancellation
or revision of the existing rules and
working conditions. High labor lead
ers have been insistent that these two
points form the real bone Of conten-
tion, despite the fact that the brother
hoods strike vote was taken Ion thG
July ! wage reduction. Just how tbs
Labor Board proposes to get around
these two stumbling blocks was not
made clear.
II understand the Interstate Com
merce Commission has a number OF
important rate reduction cases on hand
on which it will act Immediately
Judge Barton explained. THAT will
give us something to work on. OF
course the Interstate Commerce Com
mission has no jurisdiction on wage
questions"
Judge Barton declined to give his
personal views Of the situation ane
said he could not speak for the board
The actual basis of the Thursday con
ference, he said, was indefinite to
night and would not be formulated
until the entire membership of the
body compared suggestions tomorrow
The union leaders called in by the
Labor Board were w. s.. Carter, pres
ident of the Brotherhood of Locomotiv,
Firemen and Enginemen; Warren S
Stone, president of the Brotherhood o
Locomotive Engineers; William G. Lee
president of the Brotherhood of Rail
road Trainmen; l.. L. Sheppard, presi
dent of the Order of Railway Conduc
tors, and T. G. Cashen, president of th'
Switchmen's Union of North America
Farm Bureau Interyenes
The first move on the part Of q pub
lie organization to avert strike came
when the American Farm Bureau Fed
Continued next pags)