New-York tribune., 1921-10-27
Government Will Seek
Cancellation of Strike
Order at Conference of
Brotherhoods at 9 A. NJ.
Men Insist Upon
Wage Restoration
Leaders Declare They Are
Powerless to Act Until
Satisfactory Settlement

CHICAGO, Oct. 26 (By The Asso-
ciated Press The government to-
morrow morning, at o'clock, will
make its final appeal to prevent the
threatened general railroad strike,
when presidents, general chairmen
and executive committees of the five
train service unions meet here at
conference reported to have been ar
ranged at the instigation of the
United States Railroad Labor Board
The boards investigation of the
causes Of the strike terminated
abruptly at $50 tonight, when the
five union leaders asked permission
to make announcement to their men
of this meeting.
New Proposal Coming
Union leaders tonight said tha.
the meeting tomorrow had been
called at the suggestion of Ben W.
Hooper, vice-chairman Of the board,
and that they expected him person
ally to present final proposition
from the board. Mr.. Hooper refused
to confirm or deny this. Judge r.
NJ. Barton, chairman of the board.
said that it's decision on to-day's
hearing might be rendered to-mor-
row and certainly would be forth
coming by the next day
Each of the presidents of the five
transportation group unions said, how
ever, that the prospects for a settle
ment certainly were TO better thar
they were this morning" while two
won't further, declaring that "the
clouds were darker than ever"
1t was understood that the board
would make the following proposals
to the unions tomorrow.
That the unions suspend or call of
the strike ordered for next Sunday
and based on the wage cut made last
July, pending decisions by the board
on further wage cuts or on any revis-
ion of rules which the employees fear
the roads will ask
The roads have already announced
their intention of seeking a 10 per
cent wage cut for the train service
men, in addition to the IL per cent
slash of last July. Many roads have
indicated a desire to abrogate time
and half for overtime also
Settlement Only Hope
Executives of the Big Four brother
hoods and the Switchmen's Union OF
North America declared before the
night session that no power on earth
save satisfactory settlement" can
prevent their men walking out begin
ming next Sunday morning at 6 O'Clock
Their declaration came at the close
of day of fruitless questioning, when
Judge r. Nj. Barton, chairman Of the
Labor Board, called each union presi-
dent in turn and asked him four ques-
tions, the third of which was;
"If the board shall declare strike
Is not justified and should not. occur
and direct that the employees dc not
strike, will that order be obeyed? 7"
Say Men Would Defy Order
The union chiefs, Warren S. Stone.
of the engineers; w. G. Lee, of the
trainmen; l.. E. Sheppard, Of the con-
ductors; W. S. Carter, of the fremen,
and T. C. Cashen, of the switchmen,
declared in turn they had no power to
cancel the strike order, expressed the
individual opinion that their men would
not obey an order from them or the
board to remain at work, and reiterated
their previous declarations that only
satisfactory settlement" could
avert walk-out.
Such d settlement, they said, would
/ be reconsideration by the Labor Board
of its IL per cent wage reduction order
| Of July l or a movement by ths In
dividual railroads to confer with the
unions and set aside the boards order.
| w. s. Carter declared a settlement
| should also reimburse the men for the
pay lost since July / as result of the
wage cut.
The other three questions asked thu
union leaders were:
"Who, or what authority, in your
labor organization can withdraw the
order to strike or stop a strike?
Suppose you, the chief executive OF
| your organization. or your executive
committee Issued an order or q state
| luCAL LNdt u dtIiho BHoutG Hot Occult 90
you not believe the strike would be pre-
vented?
"Will you as chief executive use your
power and influence to see that the
orders of the board on the matter be
obeyed?"
Government Plans Injunction
That the government contemplate 6
injunction proceedings against the
unions for violation Of the transporta
tion act was indicated by the trend Of
questioning conducted by Mr.. Hooper.
"The board will take everything int<
careful consideration" Chairman Bar,
ton announced in adjourning the hear.
ing, "and will, within very short time
possibly tomorrow, certainly not latei
than the next day, deliver its dec!sio.
in this matter in the usual way"
Hooper sought throughout his exam
ination of the FIVE union leaders to-da,
to bring out that their strike orde
was not only in defiance Of the Jul,
wage cut decision. hut bv includin'