The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-18
CONFERENCE OF
UNION LEADERS
is CALLED OFF
Big Five Brotherhood Repre-
sentatives to Meet in Chicago.
Labor Board Sets Meeting for
Thursday Afternoon.
STATEMENT FROM W. G.. LEE
Trainmen Cannot Give Service
Without Present Wage.
Declares Railroads Taking I'm
fair Advantage of Business.
STATEMENT FROM W. G.. LEE
(By the Associated PressJ


Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 1S.-A sched-
of the "big five" transportation broth
erhoods was cancelled this morning
when the five executives were request
ed by the railroad labor board to meet
with the board in Chicago at p. m.
Thursday, Warren S. Stone. president
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers, announced.
The message from the labor board
reached Mr.. Stone in his office here
during the morning. He declared he
had no intimation of what the board
wished to discuss with the leaders of
the railroad workers.
T. c. Cashen. president of the
Switchmen's Union of North America,
and L. F. Sheppard, president of the
Order of Railway Conductors, are still
in Chicago They will be joined there,
probably Wednesday night, by Mr..
Stone, W. C. Lee, president of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen,
and W. S. Carter, head of the Brother
hood OF Locomotive Fireman and
Enginemen.
W. C. Lee, president of the Broth
erhood of Railroad Trainmen, con-
firmed the receipt of a telegram from
the railroad labor board at Chicago
requesting him to meet with the four
other members of the railroad trans
portation brotherhoods in a confer
ence with the board at Chicago
Thursday
Neither Mr.. Stone nor Mr.. Lee
would comment on the proposed meet
ing, each asserting they had no irti-
nation of what was to be taken up.
(By the Associated PressJ
Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 1S.-Chiefs of
the big five" railroad transportation
organizations convened here today
for their first conference since au-
thOrizing the nationwide railroad
strike in Chicago last Saturday.
Those attending the conference were
w. G. Lee. president of the Brother
hood of Railroad Trainmen; Warren
s. Stone, president of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers; W. S. Car
ter, president of the Brotherhood of
Firemen and Enginemen, and Z. P.
Curtis, representing L. E. Sheppard,
president of the Order of Railway
Conductors.
Whether T. c. Cashen, president of
the Switchmen's Union of North
America, would arrive in time for the
conference was not known. Both he
and Mr.. Sheppard were expected to
arrive during the day.
To Discuss Strike Plans.
1t was announced that general plans
for conducting the strike would be
discussed but whether any question of
outstanding importance has presented
itself was not stated. 1t is expected
that the proposal of the public group
of the railroad labor board to pass the
July wage reduction on down to the
public thru reduced rates will receive
only passing consideration by the lead
ers, as most of them have indicated
they considered the plan of little
value.
Lee Issues Statement.
Prior to the conference President
Lee of the Trainmen issued a state
ment in which he asserted that THE
brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
very reluctantly takes the position
that it cannot longer agree to give
service unless there is assurance that
there will be no further wage reduc-
tions nor attempt to eliminate work
ing rules that have been secured thru
many years of collective bargaining
and which represent only a fair re-
muneration for extra service given"
After discussing the wages of train
men in which he made some cOmpari-
son of wages paid in 1913 with those
received now, Mr. Lee said: THE
men have been asked to accept what is
an inadequate living wage. They
know the railways are taking unfair
advantage of business depression to
force them to accept unfair wages
and service conditions. To state the
matter briefly, they believe that the
companies are going to continue their
CONTINUED on Prpe Two !