Imperial Valley press., 1921-10-22
R A Il STRIKE
LEADERS TO
N EE 7 | \
Go n F Ab
Hope For Peaceful Settle
ment of Transportation
Troubles Brigkter-Feder
al Government Takes
Drastic Action on RaetS.

CHICAGO, Oct. 22.-Hopes for a
peaceful settlement of the national
transportation crisis looms brighter
today with the agreement of the Rail-
road executives and the chiefs Of the
labor brotherhoods to respond to the
summons Of the Federal Labor Board
for an open-eonference here on We'd
nesday to discuss the wage and work
ing agreement rules disputes :nat have
threatened to tie up the entire railroad
facilities of the nation. Every source
of the government has been called up
on to stop the strike before it begins,
and so far there has been no statement
eminating from union labor circles
that they would function as strike
leaders in defiance of the mandates of
the Washington authorities. A peace
full settlement is in prospect.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22.-In q
sweeping decision involving the en-
tire railroad situation, wage scales,
depression in industrial circles and
finances, the Interstate Commerce
Commission today ordered freight
rates on grain and grain products and
hay throughout the western half of the
United States reduced by an average
of approximately 16 per cent.
Notice was given the carriers that
| the commission expected the reduc-
tions to be put in effect Immediately
and by November 20 at the latest and
that low state railroad earnings which
led to the increases of 1920 hereafter
be rectified by reduction of wages and
prices. and that the downward ten+
dency be set for the rates ordered
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22,-An ap-
peal to all employees of the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe railroad to "look
the strike situation squarely in the
face" was telegraphed here from Chi
cago this morning by w. B. Storey
president of the company. "f the
strike comes we must meet it" was the
concluding line of the message.
The Southern Pacific company began
marking bills of lading this morning
"subject to delay" because of the
to all shipments including live stock
threatened strike. The phrase applied
to all shipments including live stock
and pershables and is in effect on
main lines and all connections it was
announced.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 22-The
proposed strike of railroad employees
"is against the order of the United
States Railroad Labor Board. render
ed June l, 1921, after full hearing of
both sides, declaring that there should
be 121a per cent reduction of wages,
VIM. Sproule. President of the South
ern Pacific Company, said today in a
statement explaining the cause for the
strike.
Mr.. Sproule's statement, directed to
heads of departments of the Southern
Pacific Company, follows:
"To dispel misconstruction and mis-
understanding it is all important that
the public and the employees should
know at the outset and bear in mind
continually just what it is that this
proposed strike Of the railroad en-
Iployes is directed against. They are
not striking because of any refusN OF
the railroads to reduce rates. They
are not striking because of any inten-
ton expressed by the railroad to avail
themselves of the right conferred by
the Transportation Act, 1920. to ap-
peal to the Railroad Labor Board for
furthe reduction in wages. The
strike vote was taken some time be-
fore the meeting of the Railroad Ex-
ecutives at Chicago and before their
attitude in respect to rates or further
reduction of wages was known. The
strike is against the order of the Rail
road Labor Board rendered June l
|1921, after full hearing of both sides:
declaring that there should be II
and one-half per cent reduction OF
wages. There can be no question as
to the correctness of this statement