The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-10-26
Lee Testifies Before
II. S. RailLabor Board
Tells How Strike Vote Was
Taken and Walkout Or
dered; Barton Predicts
Hearing Thursday

CHICAGO. Oct. 26.-(By the As
ISOLATED Press)-Ben w. Hooper.
member OF the United States railroad
labor board. conducting the hearing
called by the board TO investigate the
threatened railroad strike today call
ed w. G.. Lee, president OF the train
men, to the stand and questioned him
about the strike order
Lee told how the strike vote was
taken and the walkout ordered He
told the board he withdrew from the
JOINT meeting of the other unions
because their strike resolution covered
questions he did not think were IN
volved
II took the position" Lee said. that
for once in my life, at least. | wanted
to tell the truth TO my men about
the facts as / saw them"
Lee read into the record circular
letter sent TO his mon while they
Were voting on the strike in which he
pointed out that wages must come
down and that four million mer were
/ seeking jobs.
Mr.. Lee declared the differences be-
tween himself and the other unions
4 arose when he insisted on a clean
/ cut statement" pointing out there
was no possibility for re.opeLing ne
gotiations with the roads, using the
| strike vote as club, because the
labor board and not the roads had
| decreed the wage cut.
! At 70 o'clock the hoard recessed
! until o'clock Lee had not completed
! his statement.
Judge Barton predicted the hear
ing would be completed by Thursday
noon.
The hearing was slow in getting
under way. The union men were given
the choice seats with the $50 railroad
| presidents seated at the rear.
Strange Assemblage
II was one Of the strangest gather.
! ings ever assembled at n labor con.
ference in Chicago. Numbers of wo-
men were scattered about the hall.
Among the early arrivas were fifty
girl college students.
In citing the labor group TO appear.
Chairman Barton said in his opening
statement that the board was "prin-
cipally moved by threatened in
tcrruption Of commerce"
Chairman Barton made II plain that
the inquiry was being conducted en-
tircly on the initiative of the board.
neither the railroads nor the en-
ployes about 10 strike being concerned
in bringing up the case.
"The industry" the chairnan's state
ment said lis based on two provisions
Of the transportation act.
Section ll3 Of the act which pro
vides thnt when the board has reason
to believe that any decision by the
board has been violated by any car
rier or employees or subordinate Of
ficials or organizations thereof, \
may, on its own motion. after due
notice and hearing 10 all persons di
recty interested in such violation, de-
teumine whether in its opinion suct
relations has occurred and make pub
lie its decision in such manner as II
may determine.
THE other is tho provision OF sec
lloll oNtt NHt eintTbcuCy pEoNision
which authorizes the board to nc
when a dispute Ia likely substantially
TO interrupt commerce.
s The mcii its Of the wage reduction
decision In opposition TO which ths
employees are threatening to strike. OF
any other decision OF the board arr
not at this time In question and nc
. decision IN regard thereto. viii be II
{ order Tho question Is simply: Has
S there been violation and Is on'
{ threatened"