The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-10-17
RAILROAD STRIKE
COMES OCTOBER 50
PRACTICALLY ALL ROADS TO
BE AFFECTED WHEN TWO
MILLION MEN QUIT WORK.
REFUSE TO ACCEPT IL PER
CENT WAGE CUT.


Chicago, Oct. 15.-More than half
a million American railroad men
were today ordered to initiate strike
October 80 while other unions, whose
memberships brings the total to
about 100000, announced unoffi-
cially that they were tonight prepar-
ing to follow suit and make the walk
out general on the same dates.
Under this program the tie up
would be complete, according to
union predictions by November 2.
The first strike was fixed for 6 a.
m,. October 80, except one Texas
line, whose trainmen were authorized
to 20 out October %.
The railroads listed in the first
group on which the strike is to be-
come effective touch AZ Of the 48
states with a trackage of $4,000
miles out of the total United States
trackage of approximately 100000.
The New England states comprise
the group that is virtually untouched
in the first walk out.
The strike orders were issued to
the big five brotherhoods, oldest and
most powerful of the railway unions
and they specifically included mail
trains in the walk out. Their pro-
visions instructed strikers to keep
away from railroad property with a
warning that "violence of any ma
ture will not be tolerated by the or
ganizations.
The strike was announced follow
ing an overwhelming vote said to be
upwards of 80 per cent. wage reduc-
ton authorized by the United States
railroad labor board July l., and at
ter it was declared by the associa-
ton of railway labor board execu-
tives in session here yesterday that a
further reduction would be sought
by the railroads. 1t was said that the
strike decision was made before the
announcement of this further intend
ed cut. Printed instructions for the
conduct of the strike issued in Chi
cago were dated yesterday, Octo-
Der IA.
81 fear it will be one of the most
serious strikes in American transpor-
tation history" said w. G. Lee,
president of the railroad 3, trainmen,
who during recent weeks has sent
circulars to his men warning them Of
the critical nature of the steps they
contemplated.
The country was divided into four
groups, in which the men were pro-
posed to walk out progressively, one
group every "a hours. The names OF
the groups were not made public, but
unoficially the identity of roads in
the first group to 60 was learned
subject to changes, which, union Of,
ficials said, would be few. This GROUP
included some Of the country's
greatest rail systems, from coast to
coast and from Canada to the Gulf
These were:
Chicago & Northwestern, Texas
& Pacific, Kansas City, Southern
Pennsylvania, Missouri Pacific, In,
ternational & Great Northern, Sou
thern Pacific (Atlantic and Pacific
lines), Southern railway, Louisville
& Nashville, St. Louis Southwestern
(if Texas lines included, not stately
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul, Chi
cago, Rock Island & Pacific, Sea
board Air Line Erie, Chicago, Great
Western and Viriginian railway.
The unions issuing the strike cal
today We're: Brotherhood of Rail
road Trainmen, Brotherhood of Lo
comotive Firemen and Enginemen
Order of Railway Conductors, Broth
erhood of Locmtive Engineers
Switchnen's Union of North Ameri
ca.