New Britain herald., 1921-10-19
l, 800, 900 Affiliated Rail-
 road Workers Have Not Yet Decided They Will Join Big Four Strike
Although Prospects of Set clement Appear Bright, Army Officials Are Pre- pairing For Operating Trains By Troops.

Chicago, Oct. 19, (By Associated Press) The first of a series of con- ference in Chicago at which repre- sentatives of all factions in the rail- road strike situation may decide the outcome of the strike call issued by the big four brotherhoods for October 30, began here today, to continue over the weekend
 Three Group Meetings.
 Three group meetings are sched- u1ed:
 1-Executives of the shopmen, maintenance of way workers, clerks, telegraphers and others, meet today, tomorrow, Friday and Sunday to de- eide their attitude toward the an-. nounced strike of the train service employees with indications of a final decision at joint conference Sun day.
 Brotherhood leaders are on their way here to hear the government attitude through the railroad labor board tomorrow.
 3-Railroad executives of the cen- tra1 division meet Friday in Chicago to discuss all phases of the strike situation while executives of other divisions meet simultaneously in their own regions.
 Rate Reductions Likely.
 Freight rate reductions approxi- mately equivalent to the 12 per cent wage reduction ordered last July by the railroad labor board, were in- dicated as the probable basic sugges- ton the labor board will propose. with the backing of the administra- ton to avert the strike.
 'I understand" said Commissioner Ben w. Hooper, a member of the public" group of the labor board, that the interstate commerce com mission has a number Of important rate reduction cases on hand on which it will Immediately That will give us something to work on.''
 The boards policy as outlined by Commissioner Hooper would propose to the brotherhood chiefs immediate suspension of the strike order on their parts, and their influence in prevent ing other walkouts, while the execu- tives would be asked to concede the withdrawal of the proposed request for further wage cuts and grant an imm ,diate reduction of freight rates.
 Cuts Are Essential.
 President J. R. Howard of the farm bureau federation today had on file before the interstate commerce com mission here a petition for. a ten to 20 per cent freight rate reduction on necessities of life, and at the sames time he te1egraphed union leaders and railroad executives urging them to join him in a conference here.
 Failure of the brotherhood chiefs to join strike agreement with the II other railroad unions sat a confer ence here last week, has made un- certain the outcome of their strike conferences here beginning today.
 Referendum Votes.
 Referendum votes have authorized the leaders of the maintenance of way men and shopmen, who meet here today and tomorrow to call a strike at their discretion but shop crafts leaders have summoned their executive council and executives of the maintenance of way union have called general chairmen of their 12 divisions.
 Membership of these two and oth- CTS of the II organizations which have not issued strike notices num- Der 1500, GOO as compared with half a million in the train service group now under instructions for sectional walkouts October 30.
 Officials of the telegra phers have scheduled meeting here Friday and the clerks, Sunday. No definite deci- sion leaders of these II unions in- dicated will be made before the end of the week.
 While prospects for settlement of the strike were growing brighter, army officials, it is understood were making preparations for operating trains by federal troops.