Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-07-02
RAIL UNION HEADS !.
PICKED TO ACT ON !
!. WAGE REDUCTIONS
Place Entire Matter in Hands
of committee-To Decide
on Slash.
l,5OO DELEGATES IL CHICAGO
TO CANVASS THE SITUATION
Big -Four Brotherhoods Willing
to Accept Reduction as "Neces-
sary Evil"
ALL OTHER CRAFTS OPPOSE
h'crS Union Will Unite in What.
ever Decision Is Reached by
Committee.
500 DELEGATES III CHICAGO
10 CANVASS THE SITUATION !
ALL OTHER CRAFTS OPPOSE
Every Union Will Unite in What.
ever Decision Is Reached by
COMMITTEES.
10y Associated Press1

CHICAGO, July railway un;on
'e''ers tonight were undecided ON
'he'r hnal attitude toward the pen.
cFat IL per cent wage reduct,o
winch became effective TODAY on
tuaily every railroad In tho co,n,.
by order of the United States ran
way Labor Board.
Despite considerable dissatisfao-
tion displayed among many om
iioSes' no reports of sporadic strike.
or any serious threats or stri..s
were reported to the union ch;.s.S
here today.
Approximately 1.5Oo delegates fron,,.
s'em organizations from the big
iour orothcrhoods, the shop crafts
the maintenance of way men. te,e.
sraphers. clerks and switchmen mat
mere today 10 canvass the sttuatio,
heads OF the big four and tho six.
teen American Federation OF I,abor
unions held short meeting th,.
morning before the officers separata,
TO convene the organization mectl
irgs.
-HpP"iht Committee OF Five. ftlttel
me executive meetings, it wasi
said' took no action other than tos
place the entire wage situation ~
the hands OF committee headed bv
H. Nj. Jewell. president of tho RAM
way employees department OF tbe
American Federation of Labor. Tho
other members arc: f. H. Fitzgerald.
ETeSldnnt ~ ~
HhiiwaE and ste am ship Clerks,
freight Handlers. Express and Sta
ton Employees; l.. e. Sheppard. pres.-
dent Of the Order of Railway Con.
ductors; Il. |. Manion. president oil
the Order OF Railroad Tclegraphers)
and Timothy Shea, icc-president off
the brotherhood of Locomotive Fire.
men and Enginemen
While there was no indication OF
dissension between tho organizations
over the wage reductions. a defnIta
line of demarcation developed The,
big four. according to Harry P,I
pauEherty, vice grand chief OF tho
engineers, were favorable to accent =
Ing the cut as a necessary eyil."s
although the brothcrhoods might not
indicate their attitude by any formalis
resolution OF acceptance
shop Crafts Oppose Cut.
On the other hand the shop crafts
and maintenance OF way men were
said to be opposed to accepting the
reduction. Both have taken refer
endum votes on the lower wage and
both arc reported to be heavily in
favor of it's rejection q
The maintenance OF way Eroup.
composed largely OF section men. was
the hardest hit OF all railway em,s
ploycs in the wage reduction, the eni
tire increase granted by the laboi
board in July. 1920, being wiped QUIT
Separate meetings were held b]
each OF the brotherhoods today, and
report OF their action will be madl
at consolidated meeting OF the bid
four tomorrow morning. The clerk.j
tcleEraphers and switchmcn. whos4
general chairmen also met today, outl
lined their plans, but refused to make.
any announcement. Reports OF allil
the organizations will be made to
the committee OF five. in whose hands
1t Is understood final action is vested.
Mr. Jewell tonight refused to mako
any prediction on how soon the con-E
ference might be completed, or what
the final action would be. He indi-.
Gated. however. that all Of tho unions
in his department and all the broth-8
erhoods would unite in whatever ac-R
tion was taken, and that their final,
decision would unanimous for all .
employees