New-York tribune., 1921-03-14
Rail w Orkers
Urged to Fight
Cuts to Finish
Decision Will Be Left to
Them, However, at Meet
ings of All Unions Affect.
ed TO Be Held This Week
Both Sides Oppose Strike
Leaders Hopeful of Favor.
able Verdict by Board,
but Are Not Optimistic

The workers reply to the retrench
ment policies and imminent slashinc
OF wage scales announced by practi-
cally all the big railroads probably will
be known this week, it was intimated
yesterday. While details of the arpu.
ments to be advanced by the union
leaders were not disclosed, it is un-
derstood the men will be advised to
oppose "to tho last ditch" any cuts in
wages.
No move will be made, however, it
was said in labor circles, before the
men themselves have been consulted
For this purpose many mass meetings
are planned for this week by the
unions affected. Following these gath
erngs statements will be issued en-
bodying the workers views. While
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation Of Labor, has
warned the transportation lines against t
any radical wage cuts. ehe labor lead
ers AS whole are not overly hopeful
Of maintaining schedules under the
instances.
Marine Situation Factor
Locally the controversy is compli-
Gated by the marine situation, the tow
boat owners and the superintendent nts
of the marine departments of the rail
roads having announced their inten-
ton to revise downward the pay of all
men employed in this phase of trans
portation. Thomas Hcaley, head of the
Marine Workers Ahiliation, said that
a conference will be held this after
noon with representatives. of The Barge
and Towers Association. The marine
workers, according to "B!g Bill
Maher, general manager OF the mas
ters, mates and pilots organization. are
determined to fight a cut in wages and
may strike to maintain the present
scale
strike Of railroad employees gen
orally, however, is not looked for. The
railroad heads assert that such move
could profit the men very little, mas
much as it was the intention of M ost
OF the railroads to release large num-
bers of employees in any event. They
say that if reduction III pay is &C
ccpted it will enable the lines to give
steady employment to most of the men.
There has been no intimation that
members or the Big fOur DrOtner-
hoods arc to be affected by the looping
off process. These men are the chief
skilled workers Of the roads and con-
stitutc onc-third OF the total personnel.
1t was pointed out that the members
of these brothcrhoods did not profit
relatively as much as the common help
in the successive increases granted
during the war and that reductions in
their cases would be unjustitied. This
point, however, has not been definitely
settled and may be touched upon in
future announcements by the lines.
Neither Side Wants Strike
In the mean time there is a prospect
Of approximately 10000 railroad en-
ployces in this port alone finding them
selves without Jobs BY April 30. The
railroads insist they cannot continue
the present scale of wages because Of
the lack of freight business and de-
clare the men either must accept lower
pay or find other work. Neither side,
it is known, would welcome strike.
The railroads cannot introduce n
scale opposed by the workers before
submitting the proposal to the Rail
road Labor Board for adjudication.
Under the Esch-Cummins act, the
eight-hour day must remain. AS to
wages, the labor leaders are hopeful