Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-10-27

after Hooper left, with the announce
ment that the five organizations
would hold separate meetings, and
then Joint meeting at o'clock this
afternoon.
CHICAGO, Oct. 27.-(By Asso-
ciated Press)-Noon passed today
with the Big Five" union represen-
tatives in long executive conference
on the possibilities Of strike settle
men+.
Ben w Hooper. Of the Railroad
Labor Beard, was before the con-
ference what he termed a "gague
possibility" for settlement. Mean
while the Board marked time, with
a meeting scheduled for this after
neon.
Hooper left his office at 9:45 this
mornin gfor tae Masonic temple,
where the presidents, general cair-
men and executive committees of the
Big Five" unions were in session
1t was said he made final appeal
on behalf cf the government for call
ing off the threaterEd strike.
The Boards investigation of the
causes of the strike threat ended alb
ruptly at $50 last NIGHT when the
five union leaders askd permission
to make announcement to t1cir men.
Executives Of the big brctherhoods
and the swito hmen, after day of
verbal iockeyine with the United
States Railroad Labcr Board, declar-
ed late yesterday that 10 power on
earth save a Satisfactory settlement"
could prevent their men walking out
beginning next Sunday morning at
6 o'clock.
Their declaration came at the close
of a day Of friutless Questioning.
when Judge R. NJ. Barton, chairman
Of the Lab9r Beard, called each union
president in turn and asked him four
prepared questions, the third Of
which was:
"If the board shall declare strike
is not justified and should not oc-
cur and direct that the emuloves not
strike will that order be obevcd?"
The union chiefs, Warren s. Stone
of the Engineers; w. C. Lee Of The
Trainmen: T. f. Sheppard of the
Conductors. w. s. Cater Of ,he Fire
men, and T. G Cashen of the Switch
men-declared in turn they had no
power to cancel the strike order, cX-
pressed the idividual opinion that
their men would not obey an order
from them CT the board to remain
at work: and reiterated their previous
declarations. that "Inly satisfactory
settlement" could avert the walkout.
Such q settlement. thev said, would
be rcconsidered by the Board Board
of its 2 per cent wage reduction or
der of last July 1. or a movement
by the individual railroads to confer
with the unions and set aside the
boards order.
w. S. Carte declared 4 settlement
should also reimburse the men for
the pay lost since July /, as a resul,
Of the wage cut.
The other t6ree questions asked
the union leaders were: "Who. or
what authority in your labor organi-
zation can withdraw the order or
stop a strike?
Suppose you, the chief executive
of your organization or your eXecu-
tive committee issued an order or
statement that strike should not
occur, do you not believe the strike
would be presented?
will you, as chief executive, use
your power and influence to see that
the orders of the board on the matter
be obeyed?'
That the government contemplates
injunction proceedings against the
unions for violation of the stranspor-
tation act was indicated by the trend
Of questioning, conducted by Ben w
Hooper, representative of the public
on the board.
Hooper sought throughout his ex-
animation CT md five union lea1s
to bring out that their strike order
was not only in defiance of the July
wage cut decision, but, by including
other and unsettled questions, violat-
cd that part of the transportation
act which says all disputes f'shanp
be referred to the board frs for set
tlement.