The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-10-18
T|EUP MAY
Be AVERTED
BEFORE LONG
Both Sides Said To Be Seek
ing A Basis of Com
promise
sy LUTHER A HUSTON

IsTAFF CORRESPONDENT I. N. sERvicEl
| CHICAGO, Oct 16--The sun OF a pos
sible compromise shone through the
clouds OF the railroad strike situation
for the nrst time this morning. indi
cations were that events were moving
toward adjustments that would avert
the nationwide tieup OF rail traffic
scheduled to begin on October so.
| Among the foremost OF these intica-
tions was the expected arrival here TO-
day OF r. NJ Barton. chairman Of ths
United States Railway Labor Board. TO-
gether with othey members OF the pub
lie group Of the board, fresh from cor
| ferences with President Harding ara
other high government officials IN
Washington. No definite announcement
| of any plan OF the government to END
| the strike has bsen made. but the pre-
diction was vouchsafad today thaa
| Chairman Barton would take action soon
| after his arrival bsre toward an az
justment of the controversy.
BorE nEAx coMP3oMxm
The impression was prevalent today
that both sides were seeking q basis OF
compromise that would make possible a
retirement from the definite positions
already taken. II was believed the rail
way Labor Board heads would seek to
take advantage Of this situation to bring
about an agreement The possibility OF
a conference between rail chiefs and
union leaders. under auspices OF the
Labor board, was not discounted
Many of the union leaders have stat
ed that a strike would be averted now IL
guarantees were given that there would
pc no further wage reductions. This
IS taken as an indication that the
unions are willing to come half way"
Il the matter Of an agreement
The railroads are understood to Be
seeking relief from the strain Of the
nancial situation. If some way to as-
complish this other than reduction Of
wages could be pointed out. it is be-
eved they would agree TO the reten-
lion of existing wage scales.
UNIONS FACTOR UNCERTAIN
The attitude OF the unions affiliated
With the American Federation Of La
Dor. as distinguished from the big
-FOUR" Brotherhoods. reminded the ur.
certain factor in the situation today.
\ series of conferences beginning today
and continuing until Sunday will set
lie this Issue.
Frank suspicion of the chiefs OF tn.
5rotherhoods is openly expressed By
officials of the federation unions az
sembling here. These officials made T.
plain no action committing the feder-
alton unions to a definite strike pro.
gram would be taken until the pur-
poses and methods OF the brotherhoods
we're clearly understood.
1t was stated by B. NJ Jewell. pres;.
dent OF the railway employees depart
ment Of the a. F. of l. however, that
il the brotherhoods go out 1t will be
impossible to hold the men CT the shop
RATS and other federation unions IN
line. They may not join with the bro
herhoods in the actual conduct OF the
strike. but they will strike. IL was de-
clared. Even If they keep the machinery
for conducting the strike entirely Il
their own hands.
IGNORING BEOTHEEHoopS
J. r Smock. vice-president of tas
Brotherhood of maintenance Of way en-
ployes declared today that any actor
toward a compromise made by the
Big -Four" brotherhoods. would not
necessarily effect the federation unions
He emphasized the point already n1ads
by other union leaders that the feder-
alton unions were standing on their
own feet" in the present crisis
The brotherhood OF stationery fire
men and oilers convened today. Th.
first of the federation unions to hold
meetings. The Brotherhood of Railway
Clerks, freight handlers, express and
station employees. is scheduled to meet
tomorrow. The Brotherhood OF Railway
Telegraphers and a half dozen other
federation unions will hold meeting dur
ing this week.
These meetings will decide the atti-
tude of the individual unions toward
strike. On Sunday a general meeting
~ the heads OF the federation unions
viii be held at which the action taken
by the individual unions will be poled
This meeting, it is expected. will finally
decide that the attitude Of the fedora
lions unions is TO be.
GROUP THREE NAMED
With the roads included in groups
one and two OF the progressive" strike
plans OF the brotherhoods announced.
he list of roads in group three also
became known today They are:
Minneapolis & ST. Louis; Burlington
System; Chesapeake & Ohio; New York
Central Lines: Boston & Albany: Bal
.imore & Ohio: Western Pacific: Den
yer & Rio Grande; Chicago & Altoa,
illinois Central: Yazoo & Mississippi
500 Line; Great Northern; Lake Erie
Z western; Cleveland. Cincinnati. Chi
ago & st. Louis (Big Four).
The only information concerning the
ourth group yet made public is that IL
contains the entire Pennsylvania sys-
en-. The fact that the Pennsylvania is
lmong the last of the roads TO be az
ected hv the strike has caused much
Comment among the federation union Of
icials and is the cause of some dis
on the part of these Of
cials with the strike plans Of the bro
herhoods. The Pennsylvania has been
egarded unrelenting enemy of
he federation unions and they are out.
noken In deciarinx IL shn1,id haua h..r