Pueblo chieftain., 1921-10-18
UNION OFFICIAL
CIVESREASONS
FOR R. R. STRIKE
Issues Signed Statement
Telling Of Attempts
To Settle Points

Cleveland. Ohio Oct. lin signed
statement Warren S. stone, presiden.
of the brotherhood OF Locomotive en-
gncers late today set forth reasons
for the big five" transportation or
ganizations authorizing strike Oh
their membership which is set to Do
gin Oct. 50. In the statement, ne re-
views various attempts made to obtain
an amicable settlement.
Mr.. stones statement follows:
The mems position and their rca-
sons for striking in part follow:
When the transportation act OF
1920 became a law, it was hoped oy
the employees that all disputes would
he adjusted and decisions rendered by
the board would be complied with by
the carriers and employees. instead
of complying with the decisions of the
labor board the railroads soon began
to disregard or flout it's decisions, fla
grant cases of this being the action
of the Atlanta. Birmingham and AT
lantic, the Erie, the Pennsylvania rail-
road and many other cases. 1t is ad-
mitted by all that the railroad men
were the last to receive an increase
during the war. During August 1919
the brotherhood of locomotive en-
gincers submitted to President Wilson
"A statement setting forth that de-
crease in the necessities OF life was
necessary or an increase was -impcra-
| tive.
From that time on the question
| of wages was discussed on different
occasions and was finally submitted
| to tho labor board. In July 1870 the
board handed down decision whlcn
based on the facts, they declared was
| just and equitable and further stated
that their conclusions were reached
after long consideration of all the
| facts as evidenced by the testimony.
Later Mr.. Atterbury OF the Pen
nsylyania railroad in spectacuar
! presentation demanded an immediate
reduction of the wages of all railroad
employees Notwithstanding the carriers
had been granted material increase
in freight and passenger rates TO 'nee,
the increased wages. This was denieu
.on technical grounds because the car
riers had not properly created n DIS
putc in accordance with the trans
portation act. The railroad then DC
gan to serve notice on all empioyes
demanding reductions in pay thereby
referred to the labor board resulting
in 1c per cent reduction as OF July l.
ITO further aggravate the situa
tion Immediately following this meet
ing a great number of the rai,roaas
served notice on their employees
and take from them rules governing
their service that had been in effect
for from ten to thirty years.
The mapjority of such rules were
the result of negotiations WIN repre-,
sentatiyes of the oreanizations and
1.-THE managers of the individual raii-
roads and acknowledged to be fair
and equitable.
"A conference OF all general chair
men was arranged to be held in July
struct executives Of the organizations
! to meet executives of the railroads
prior to September 1, for the purpose
of trying to bring about an arnicapie
adjustment. This was done and a com
mittec of railroad executives were met
in the east. southeast and western ter
ritories their answers all being simi-
lar and denying any conciliatory meas
: ures. Following the refusal OF the
executives of the railways to enter
into any agreement with the eXecu-
tives Of the organizations. there was
! nothing left to do but refer the mat
ter to a referendum vote Of the work
crs. In october the representatives
OF the workers were convened in Chi
cago and q canvass of the vote was
made that indicated 81 per cent plus
wero in favor of Withdrawing from
. the service. Such condition was
never known before In the history OF
railway labor and nn doubt was caus-
, ed by the arrogant, selfish attitude OF
tho railroad executives together with
their declination to be party to any
: conciiatory terms.
After the vote had been canvassed
{ the chairmen Of the railroad oHnere
association was notified by wire oi
, the result and the request for con.
ference cop,mittee was made. The 15C
railroad presidents meeting in Chicago
named a committee of five railroad
presidents to meet the executive Off
GERS of the transportation brother
hoods. They declined to make any
concessions or offer any solution pro.
viding for a settlement but instead no
i titled us that a resolution had beer
adopted by the railroad presidents ask.
ing the Dor board for a further wage
reduction. Then and not until ther
was permission given for men to leave
the service.
Il "(Signed)
q WARREN s. STONE"