The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-27
RAIL EMPLOYES
 VOTE ID STRIKE,
 DECLARE LEADERS
Believe, However, That Con- Servative Counsel of Broth
 erhood Leaders May Pre- ! vail Against WaIkout
Bx Associated Press

Chicago, September 26.-Leaders or the Big Four brotherhoods and affi- lated unions tonight declared they had little doubt that the railway employees had voted for a general strike rather than accept wage reduction, but announced that the conservative counsel of the leaders might prevail against a walk -out
 General chairman of the brother hood of railway trainmen began counting the 1S6.0o0 strike ballots of their men. but admitted before the first envelope was opened that, judg ing from the known temper of the men, the result will be overwhelm ingly in favor of a strike. Giving an estimated majority, Vice President James Murdock said: ! our past experience has been that 9S per cent of the men will always vote to strike
 Officials of the Brotherhood of Lo comotive Engineers, Order of Rail- way Conductors, Brotherhood of To- comotive Bremen and Enginemen, and Switchmen's Union of North America. will meet here next Monday to count the strikes votes of their 25s.0o0 members.
 Strike Majorities Expected Railroad union leaders here expect ali the brotherhoods and the switch mems union to cast substantial ma jorities for strike. The affiliated shop crafts already have voted. by & majority of approximately 325,000 to 4S,000. to walk out, and are only wait ing to see what action the other unions will take and for the United States railroad labor board to dispose of the pending working rules agree ments
 Reports of the general chairmen of the trainmen when they assembled today were plainly disappointing to the union leaders. The trainmen had voted on a separate ballot because their leaders did not approve of the joint ballot prepared by the other unions. On September 12, President w. G. Lee addressed circular letter to the men in which he pointed out five reasons he thought a strike would be unwise at this time, and why the men might expc-t to accept some wage reduction.
 He asked the men to consider the fact that wages and working condi- tions of all classes esta blished since 1918 were the result of a world war; that 5.000.000 men are now unem- ployed; that nearly all classes of la bor have been forced by mediation. arbitration. strikes or lockouts to accept reduced rates of pay during the past year; that increased wages granted railroad men last year were based on increased cost of living and that government reports indicate Is per cent cut in living costs since July i, 1920.
 Fails to Influence Vote
 The letter, however. apparently has failed to influence the voting, the general chairman reported to- day.
 The strike vote. however, union of- ficials pointed out, does not neces- sarily mean the immediate calling of strike. The question. as sub mitted to the men, carried a vote for or against "a strike unless the tied in manner satisfactory to the general grievance committee repre- senting the class of service in which l am engaged"
 The grievance committee probably will meet here as soon as the vote is canvassed, it was said, and either take steps to reopen negotiations with the roads or set date for the walk-out- MT. Lee, in his letter de- clared he would take no hand in the question, but permit the committee to reach it's own conclusions.
 The general chairman on any rail- road system where the men vote to strike will be given authority to cali out his followers. MT. Lee said.