Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-21
DON'T STRIKE, RAlLROADERS
ARE WARNED BY BOARD.
WHICH WILL INVESTIGATE
Continued from page 1.

Continued from page 1.
the rniIroad strike called for October
80 made Il impossible 20 accept the
plan offered by the United States Rail-
road Labor Board yesterday, II was
said today In union circles
"The strike authorizations provide
only for ending the strike. presumably
after settlement, which. union lead
ers have maintained. must involve
more than tho question OF the July
wage reduction on which the strife
was technically called
The board. Il was said. presented
three proposals. to the presidents of
the Blg Four bruthcrhoods and the
swltchmens union. They were.
1.-The railroads Go make reduc-
tion in freight rates corresponding 70
the wage reduction OF July i. less such
reductions as have already been made
since that date.
2--1he roads 60 refrain from asking
the United states Railroad Labor
Board for further wage reduction
until the last cut has been translated
into rate reductions.
3--rhe unions 20 suspend or with
draw their strike order.
These proposals made no mention
OF overtime and other rules, promul-
gated under Federal control. which
| the employees seek 20 retain in toto
and which the board has been revis.
| Ing. The brotherhood chiefs declare
/ their strongest flpht IN any strike
settlement will be made ON thes,
rules
The i've union presidents were viii
ing TO accept the first two, but deciar
ed they had made no arrangements foi
lsuspending their strike, and any settle
ment must be made before October 90
or the walkout would Automatically
become effective.
offered Delay ms Argument.
The board, Il was reported today
assured the union leaders that th
railroads could not get decision 70
months even n they filed their pro
posed request for ten per cent wag
reduction Immediately.
The board is understood 70 hav
pointed out that eases now on tn
docket would prevent taking up tn
railroads application before mex
March, and that the bulk Of testimon
; naturally expected in case Of sue
Importance probably would stave ot
the decision for another six month.
. making IL highly Improbable that IA
roads could get an answer defore nes
August or September.
The proposals submitted by N
board followed closely the advan,
predictions Of athe plan they wou
offer, and the railroad hrotherbo,
leaders. who had already declafed u
plan impossible. made no effort
I, conceal their disappointment that Il
board had nothing else TO offer.
Strike Seems Inevitable.
Yesterdays optimism was notice,
bly, absent In union circles today m
in its place was a seeming resignatic
Go the belief that the strike now Is ii
evitable, unless President Harding a
sumes the initiative with some drs
tic step.
The conferences yesterday betwe,
the Railroad Labor Board and the n,
union heads Warren s. stone. of n
engineers. l.. ~ Sheppard. of the COZ
: ductors; r. G. Cashen. of the switcl
men; w, q. Lee, of the trainmen. an
w. e. Carter, Of the firemen- cons
: quentiy brought no results except d
admission from the board that the flr
: effort Of governmental agency
I avert strike had failed complete
and statements from the union chic
that the meeting resulted only in Il
Labor Board being convinced that Il
2 unions really mean to strike"
A Settlement Up to Washington.
= A report OF the conference was I,
g egraphed to President Harding
e Washington and both the labor Tea
T ers and board members seemed /
u clined 10 feel the next step iowa
; alleviating the crisis would be TAX
! there. Several railroad union men sa
9 that ut looks as II only the COVER
u ment itself could prevent a walkou
Mr.. Stone, Mr.. Lee and Mrs. Cart
a We're in Cleveland today meeting
e formally with their executive comm
r tees to complete strike plans. VIII
y Mr.. Cashen was directing activit
le in the switchmens union from BuG,
e and Mr. Sheppard, in Cedar Rapi
G. was rounding out the final details
his organization, The executive co
mittees for all Ave unions will meet
Cleveland Monday
On the carriers part. heads Of we
k ern roads met in Chicago today in
6S conference announced for the purpt
r of forming plans to combat stri
Is while a similar meeting of southwe
IN. crn roads was held in 81 Louis.
er, each meeting. road presidents W.