Norwich bulletin., 1921-10-24
UNION CHIEFS BLAME u. s.
 LABOR BoARD AND ROADS

scheduled to begin next Sunday morn
 ing. wac placed on the united states : Railroad Labor Board and the carriers
 in statement isSued here tDday. This
 and the announce heht that all the gem
 eral chairnien of the 'big i've broth
 erhoods. nu1nbering about eco fiien. also l have been cited to aptear before the
 board in Chicago Wednesday. featured today's strike developments here.
 The attitude of the union chiefs was explained after a conferefee of four of
 the 'fbie five" leaders today ir ., state ment. bv Warren s. stone. rTesidtnt of
 the Brotherhood of Locomotive Enrri-
 neers. in which the chiefs reiterate
 their hope that a so'ution accebtable to
 the employees may yet. be found.
 It was indicated that the statement
 may be regarded as an outline of the
 stand the labor leaders will take when
 they appear with the execiiiyss Of the
 railroads before the labor board. The statement follows:
 .'witll regard to the position of the employees of the railrcsds at this time. we can onfy say that their representa- lives are patiently awaiting any de- 2 velohments that would aprAar to offer a
 solution of the situation that confronts us. we are not now, nof have We ever } been. desirous of being party 10 precir,i- : tating a strike, but wheh 1t is ouite aD- l. parent that the railroads propose to no
 lonly reduce wages but to take srofr [ those einbloSes >f,raaticajiy all the con : ditions of service that have been main: tained for many years and the railroar : labor board Is anabie, or fails to giv. 7 us any assurance that tile interests of : the e1nDloyes will be protected fror, t such onslauFfits by the Interests tha '
 control the transportation ines of our 8 country. nothing is left for the e1n-
 pioyes but to stand on their censtit1- . tional rights to retire from the service
 of these carriers.
 : eve are advised through the ilswspa 0 pers that the interstate commerce coin.
 mission has authorized a considerable T reduction in freight rates.
 s ''Notwithstandins the fact that tht T wages of the railroad employees have Il been reduced 12 per cent. since July i 2 there was no talk Of f#diieti6n oi n freigtts until this crisis arose. Now tht - railroads are attempting to gain the
 sympathy of the public in this crisis bs s this late re1uction of rates.
 : ...The public never would Have receiy
 ed this reduction with the c6fiseht 6i . the railroads had the railroads not beer
 confronted with this ernergency."
 Resides Mir. Stone, others attending . ts president of the Bfotherh6od Of Rail 3: road Trainrnen; L. E. Sheppard. presi 1T dent of the Order Of Railway Conduc I tors, and ". S. Carter, president 6
 the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire n men and Enginernen. T. C.. Cashen III nresident Of the Switehmen's Union 6
 North America, the other niefnbef 0 a, the ''big f1ve' is expected to arrive her
 tomorrow and attend future ecnference | of the chiefs.
 + The establishment of open shop con :. iitiens on the Fremont and Gulf Rafl st' road and the strike at noon yesterdz after trainmen on the International Afi ne Great Northern Railroad were unde lss discussion at today,s conference Bu aE none of the chiefs would comment Q 'n the situation on those roads Presidef q. Lee, however. stated that he had receiy at ed reports from his general sehairma w on the International and Great Nortt
 ern that practically 1os per cent. of th
 trainmen had quit the service.
 One of the subordinate leaders; how .- eyer. said that if it is correctly repor- sn H ed that the men on the Fremont an G+ = Gulf Rairoad have accepted oE5erl she ' conditions it is due to the fact that the ., are few in number and have little hor ss of their resistance being successful 5sses They intimated that the Fremont ar 1 .;%x Gulf situation will be brought to the a -p tention Of the railroad labor board whs s+ it meets in Chicago wednesday. It w; ~, learned that the chiefs have receive
 telegrans from large Iitniber of tl .n general chairnden of the five ofganiz Sa tions, reporting that they had been cit, n,, by the railroad labor board to aDpe, ,tn before that body in Chicago Wednesda s5 With the. approximately six ffuhdr, m ,mer general ciiairnsn. the i've chief exec .ss lives of the brotheffoods, their vic
 presidents and otfer grand officers, t n, 1t was said that approximately 1000
 q these of the unions and of the failroa ,ss have been cited to appear.
 Ds- President Sheppard of the eondu ur tors. commenting today on the acti, Ter of the shop crafts in voting against joi
 ing the strike said.
 ing T do not e6nstftie their action to Ter a break with the bfotherhoods. Tn
 are probably fesefyiifg 10 themselves | his right to take action in the matter at their own way and pursuing their ol al tactics."
 for President Lee, of the trainrnen. tod ail- Issued a statement ofi tiie human Sid his of the railroad wage question, ir pa mo as follows:
 file Tt is to De wondered whether f sos public really understands the rsfiy. ma reduction question. There Are inc lad through freight brakefnen ifi the Unit ffi- States than there are all other train a vas yard service, employees combined a ity. this c,ass of service and the passene nm train employees represent the lowe get rates of wages paid.
 ars A thrCcigh freight brakeman is 1. ev. at present s4.4s for an efefit hour Sl vas or at the rate of 55 cents an hour. his the proposed wage cut is made eff, th- tive he will receive 5i cents an bo,ir
 T. S4.OS a day. Passenger service {, any pioyes receive two cents an hour fnS Irt- than this and local freight and "a lrs. men receive a slightly higher fatE son This means that the bu1k of of train service employees receive snur6 MT. fnately s27 a week for a six 5ay Ts and and whatever is earned above fl ,ss- amount is through extra service: T the service is paid for on a mileage ha
 but not on an eight hour basis exc ing Tor freight runs that are withf6 It miles, Overtime is not paid on and strictly eight-hour basis, except in V, }. service and on funs up to 1o0- miles. eli The cw paid tfainmen and yard C nd- ployes have to meet the same high C tlks of living that the public must nj, the They are asking only fair service c bile dltlons and fair days Day.
 The railroads do not ten the wb Red truth of daily wages paid when II oter quote higher amounts of wages earn off, because they do not say they repres tive time and extra time.
 less There is an abiding faith in fha f, ady. ness Of the American people when tl ; A; s,,aerssand as 1sa the truth of the. situat