Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-10-23


work rather than accept a rece
| authorized by the United Stat
one of these II groups now is
five" it was announced, but
final action.
Following announcement by heads Of
the six shop crafts organizations. con-
trolling 100000 men. that they would
not sanction a walkout, the leaders
of the 375,O0O maintenance Of way
employees and of the $4,000 stationary
firemen at an extensive meeting vot-
ing to Withdraw their authorization
OF walkout to leaving only the 75.-
600 railroad telegraphers positively
with the big five
The action of the organizations was
said by labor leaders to be the most Sc
rious anti-strike blow yet given the
big five" unions. which have called q
strike. 1t came at time when it had
been believed that the II groups would
follow the big four brotherhoods and
the switchmen.
The maintenance of way union and
the stationary firemen's organization
took action following the announce
ment by the shop crafts. Timothy
Healy. president of the stationary fire
men, met with E. f. Cradle, mainten-
ance of way president, and B. j. Jewell,
president of the crafts heads, and in
formed Mr.. Jewell that they would hold
back their men pending the labor board
rules decision.
The action was said by the chiefs to
have been almost q personal victory
for Mr.. Jewell. who has been fighting
walkout for week
Chieftains of the 100000 clerks will
make their decision tomorrow and the
signal men 5,O0O strong, also are yet
to act.
Officials of the clerks said that they
probably would not authorize q strike
at their meeting. scheduled Sunday.
thus indicating, union leaders said. that
a strike. if it materialized. would af-
feet less than onefourth Of the coun-
try's railroad employees, being confined
to the switchmen. the conductors, the
firemen, the engineers, the trainmen
and the telegraphers. The organiza-
tions which decided not to join an i'm
mediate walkout will take new strike
votes after an expected labor board
decision in regard to rules and working
conditions, it was said.
One Strike in Effect
A series of rapid fire Developments
in the railroad crisis Saturday found
a walkout actually beginning on one
road: 100000 shop crafts employees re-
fusing permission by their chiefs to
join a strike and $4,000 railroad tele-
graphers authorized to do SO despite
the fact that the railroad situation
brought to head through recent orders
of the big five" unions for a walkout
beginning October 80 was declared by
both union and carrier heads to be in
status quo in compliance with a United
States railroad labor board order.
The first strike began at noon on
the International and Great Northern,
across the Texas line. where GOO train
men started walkout which union
effective although officials of the road
insisted only freight service would be
impaired.
Leaders of the federated shop crafts.
announced here with bomb-like effect
that their men numbering one-fourth
of the country's rail workers would not
be authorized to take part in the pro-
posed walkout October 80. This action
was said by union men to preclude the
likelihood of the American Federation
of Labor taking any great part in rail
strike. for the shop crafts are mem
bers of this organization and the big
four brotherhoods. which first an
strike movement. are not.
Telegraphers Qult
Almost simultaneously, however. the
general chairman of the Order of Rail
road Telegraphers, numbering $4,000
men whose work was said BY the union
chiefs to be essential to the continuance
of transportation announced that their
would be called out with the
big five"--the trainmen. switchmcn.
the conductors, the firemen and the
engineers.
The action Of the shop crafts was
declared by many union heads to be !
the most significant since the first
strike orders by the ''big five" were
sent out and follow desperate cam
paign of missionary work during the
week by the leaders to prevent a walk
put of these men after they had voted
to strike rather than
accept the recent 121a per cent wage
cut.
The shop crafts were termed BY
union men the Backbone Of the II |
standard rail unions two of which. |
The signal men and the clerks, have {
not yet taken final strike action.
Failure Of the big four brother
hoods to agree to stand by the shop I
crafts through strike resulted in the |
refusal to authorize walkout. accord |
ing to a statement issued by heads Of
the unions which form the railway en-
pl0yes' department American Federa-
ion Of Labor. These organisations
never nave eo-operated fully on any
aatter Nth 4he brotherhoods and their
eaAer4 sid that they were afraid sof
leinx left holding the bag" Il theyl