New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-10-18
BrOtherh0Ods
ace Revolt of
Small Unions
Eleven Organizations, With
l,5OO, 900 Members, Not
Ready to Follow Big 5
i'll Life Or Death" War
Fear Desertion Later
Head of ''Outlaw'' Body Says
Strike Cannot Be Won;
Oldtime Feud Revived
Special Dispatch to The rrfouu.

CHICAGO, Oct. 17.-Union leaders
tonight began fight to keep their
organizations from joining the walk
out which the big five brotherhoods
have called for October 20.
The showdown, it was predicted,
would come Wednesday, when officers
and some general chairmen of the
eleven railroad unions with which the
brotherhoods have refused to make
strike agreement meet hers
1t was generally conceded that de-
cision of these unions to withhold sup
port would cripple the strike called by
the train service organizations-the
brotherhoods.
Some idea of the scope Of this re-
bellion may be cleaned from a state
ment made by John Grunau, president
of the United Association Of Railway
Employees Of North America, the lead
er Of the so-called "outlaw' strike OF
last year.
Declares Fund Inadequate
"The railroad brotherhoods have a
strike fund OF $2,0OO,O00, which is in
sufficient for strike of any length"
said Grunau. "The brotherhoods have
! also weakened their own ranks by cir
culating reports that the outlaws will
step in as trikebreakers in revenge
for breaking the outlaw strike We
have no cycl, ;r+art;op J-Io,,oo~I c
our members are walking the streets
while their families suffer because the
brotherhood leaders established strike
breaking and scab-herding agencies in
al terminals affected by our strike
and broke it,
From other leaders IN the regular
ranks, men who will not permit the
use of their names for obvious rea-
sons, 1t is learned that thousands Of
men will disregard the strike order
B. NJ. Jewell, head of the shop crafts
numbering 476,000 mem bers, has vigor.
ously opposed strike. but said to.
night it would be difficult to hold his
men in check.
Eleven great railway union organi-
cations, numbering more than a mil
lion and half men, seriously differ
with the brotherhood chiefs over the
duration OF the strike. These unions
propose to fight their own battle i!
they go on strike and return TO worl
/ after they get what they demand. re.
gardless of the brotherhoods There
also is the fear that if thev 20 o.
strike ct the behest of the broths-
hoods the latter will return to work as
soon a 5 their demands are met, or the,
realize The strike is hopeless, ieavins
the affliated unions to "hold the bag.
Family Quarrel Revived
This is revival of the family fch
that has always been in progress in ths
rail unions. The brotherhoods are tn,
"aristocrats" of the rail unions, and ths
others charge them with using the othel
bodies to gain their own ends Now i
is breaking out more vigorously thar
ever
What may have an important bearin,
on the general situation waa the action
taken to-day by the Railroad Labo
Board in authorizing a 20 per cent re
duction in the wages of engineers
lotormen. conductors and brakemen o,
the Electric Short Lines Railroad
operating between Minneapolis an,
Hutchinson, MINI. The decision an
rounced that the road would becom
bankrupt unless the reductions were al
lowed
Il. J. Manion. president of the Orde
of Railroad Telegraphers. fatty denie
statements by Thomas NJ Pierson, tn
vice president, that it had been decide
TO call ont the telegraphers.