The Monett times., 1921-09-30
CHIEFS MAY PREVAIL
AGAINST WALKOUT
Leaders of big Four Say They Have
Little Doubt That Employees Had
Voted For a General Strike.

NOItu TUT AfenPTdl CtFlke.
Chicago, Sept. 26.-Leaders of the
"Big Four Brotherhood and affiliat-
ed railroad unions tonight declared
that they had little doubt that the
railway employees had voted for a
general strike, rather than accept A
wage reduction, but announced that
the conservative counsel of the leaders
might prevail against walkout.
General chairman of the Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen began
counting the $4,000 strike ballots
of their men, but admitted before
the first envelope was opened that,
judging from the known temper of
the men, the result will be over
whelmingly in favor of strike
Pressed for an estimate as to what
that majority might be, Vice Presi-
dent James Murdock said:
"Our past experience has been that
98 per cent of the men will always
vote to strike"
Next Monday officials of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engin-
eers, Order of Railway Conductors,
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen, and Switchmen's
Union of North America will meet
here to count the strike votes of their
259,OOO members. Railroad union
leaders here expect .all the. brother
hoods and the switchmen's union to
cast substantial majorities for a strik |;
The affiliated shop crafts have al
ready voted, by approximately $685.
900 to $4,000, to walk out, and are
only waiting to see what action the
other unions will take and for the
United States railroad labor board to
decide on the pending working rules.
The trainmen voted on separate
ballot because their leaders did not
approve of the joint ballot prepared
by the other unions. On September
II, President w. G. Lee, who has
been ill at his home in Cleveland,
addressed circular letter to the men,
who were then in the midst of the
balloting, in which he pointed out
five reasons why he thought strike
would be unwise at the present time
and why the men might expect to ac-
cept some wage reductions.
"The executive of a labor organ
ization that fears to tell the truth or
point out dangerous places ahead to
the membership of his organization
is not worthy of the title of leader"
Mr.. Lee said.
He then asked the men to consider
the fact that wages and working
conditions of all classes, established
since 1918, were "the result of
world war such as never before known
that 100000 men are now unem-
ployed; that nearly all classes Of labor
have been forced by mediation, arbi-
tration, strikes or lockouts to accept
reduced rates of pay during the past
year; that the increased wages grant
ed railroad men last year were based
on increased cost of living, and that
government reports indicate a 16 per
cent cut in living costs since July first
1920"
Mr.. Lees letter, however, appar-
emily has failed to influence the vot-
ing, the general chairmen reported
today.
The strike vote, however, union
officials pointed out, does not neces-
sarily mean the immediate calling of
a strike. The question as submitted
to the men carried a vote for or
against "a strike unless the wage
reduction question can be settled in
a manner satisfactory to the general
grievance committee representing the
class of service in which am en-
gagged"
The grievance committee probably
will meet here as soon as the strike
vote is canvassed, it was said today,
and either take steps to reopen nego-
ltiations with the roads or set a date
for the walkout..