New-York tribune., 1921-07-04
Rail Men Will
Fight to Keep
Working Rules
Attitude of Brotherhoods on
Proposed Strike To Be
Made Clear i'm Official
Statement Issued To-day
Walk-Out Is Improbable
Workers to Insist, However,
on Retention of Condi-
fions, Even if Pay Is Cut

CHICAGO, July 1.-Railroad labor, in
IN statement tomorrow, will set
forth Its attitude toward the proposed
general railroad strike. The consensus
tonight is that the statement will on
pose strike, as the 1900 leaders who
nave been discussing the matter for
several days agree that no strike
against the IL per cent wage cut would
succeed. If q strike should be ordered
they say, 1T would have to be to compel
the continuation of the wartime agree
ments on working conditions.
Inc statement, it was said tonight,
Will deal chiefly with working rules,
which are now recognized as the pri-
mary issue. Indications are that the
rail unions are prepared to abide by
the wage reduction order with little
more than formal protest, but they
want assurance that working conditions
will remain satisfactory.
Sees Period of Dissension
IT don't believe there will be q
strike" said an officer of one of the
Big Four brotherhoods tonight, "but
there will be dissension until the roads
meet US on working agreements. The
men won't yield without q struggle
what they have been years in gain
ing"
The mail chiefs attention was called
TO the facts that, first, operation Of the
United States Railroad Labor Board or
der terminating national working
agreements had been stayed for an in
definite period, and, second, the board
recently ruled that the abrogation de-
cision did not disturb agreements the
brotherhoods have had with individual
railways.
. 81 know" he replied, "but the Labor
Board left the way open for railroads ;
to petition for termination of their
agreements with US on working rules
The board said it would consider petit
tlons. And some of the roads already
have served notice on train service en-
ployees that they are going to bring
the issue before the Labor Board.
View of Board Uncertain
1--WE don't know the board will grant
such petitions, but we don't know it
won't. If it does, what then? Could
We bring the railroads to agreement
on a substitute set of rules that
would satisfy us? We fear not, and
we are therefore going to fight for
the ones we have.
"These rules mean everything to the
train service man. Without them, his
oruloiiCy iiSutS WOulQ Dc 1eOp4rQlZeQ q
and probably lost. He must have pro-
lection against this and other abuses
Shops craftsmen, maintenance of
way employees, oilers and stationery
engineers, telegraphers and clerks
seem to share the train service mems
apprehensions. Their representatives
are all more concerned with working
rules than wages, according to reports
The claims of clerical employees of
the Erie Railroad and the Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western for pay for
time lost during an unauthorized strike
Of train and engine service employees
of the roads, in April, 1920, was denied
by the Railroad Labor Board In deci
sion made public to-day.
The board also denied request by
station and telegraph employees of the
Wabash Railroad for an adjustment
of inequalities in their rates of pay
The request of the employees involved
an increase of .0534 cent an hour to all
positions in the station and telegraphic
service in addition to increases previ-
ously granted by the board.