The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-16
THREE LEADING ROADS
 OF CITY IN FIRST GROUP
tContinued From Page One.>

fCoafinued From Page One.) Brotherhood of Locomotive Bremen and Enginemen. Order of Railway Conductors, Brotherhood of Locomo- tive Engineers, Switchmen's Union of North America.
 The eleven other organizations whose chiefs have been in session here and who said unofficially that they will join the strike, are: Sheet Metal Workers International All liance; International Association of Machinists; Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks; Freight Han dlers. Express and Station Employees, Brotherhood of Stationary Bremen and oilersi Brotherhood of Railway Signal Men of America; United Broth ~erhood of Maintenance of Way Elm ployes and Railroad Shop Laborers; Order of Railroad Telegraphers; Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, of America; International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers: International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders of America; Interna- tional Brotherhood of Blacksmiths Drop Forgers and Helpers.
 Chairmen On Way Home
 Five hundred general chairmen of the "biE four" brotherhoods and the Switchmen's Union of America were on their way home tonight from 8 weeks conference in Chicago, with the signed authorizations for a strike in their pockets. No further orders will be necessary, the brotherhood chiefs said. to call out railway work CTS on every big line In the country. Grand officers of the brotherhoods left for Cleveland tonight.
 D..t~ every general chairman to govern tho mems conduct These authorized a progressive walkout. the first at a. m.. October 30, to be followed by the other three secret groups, each 24 hours, October S1 and November l and 2. ~
 Every chairman carried in a sealed packet code word for use if the strike Is called off In event of re- ceiving the code word from head quarters. each chairman Is to open his packet to identify sthe word.
 No reservations are made in the strike authorizations. Skeleton serv- ice. outlined in the bylaws of the unions. Is to be maintained. but other wise every man Is expected to walk out. The instructions declare the men have "identically the same right to refuse to perform service on 6 mall train as they have to perform service on a freight train"
 Arriving at their respective head quarters. general chairmen of the brotherhoods and switchmen will i'm mediately issue system orders over the general chiarmen's signatures, carrying tho hour and date of the Strike. These orders will go to local chairmen, who will pass them to the rank and file.
 Strike To Be General
 Although complete plans for the walkout of the other eleven of the sixteen standard railroad organiza- tens wore incomplete tonight, it was said the general procedure would be much like that of the brotherhoods
 Warren S. Stone, grand chief of the engineers. declined to comment on the conferences of this week. He said an announcement might be made from the Cleveland office later.
 We're all through" Mir. Stone said. T can't tell you anything now, but the die Is cast"
 w. G. Lee. president of the train men, said he had used every influ- ence to avert strike on the basis of q 12 per cent wage reduction of July 1, 1921, but that he felt any fur ther reductions would justify walk out.
 T want it understood that I used every influence to avert strike on the wage reduction of Juy l. Mir. Lee said. T preferred to accept that reduction, with an assurance that there would be no further wage re- duction or change in our working rules for reasonable period.
 T felt that if the railroads got through present business conditions they would be in position to pay the present rates of nay"
 MT Lee refused to comment on the strike orders. although he admitted that he had already sent out authori- ration to strike to trainmen on the International and Great Northern Trainmen on this road. which oper- ates between San Antonio and Pales- tine. Teas, asked to\strike at noon October g, independently of the other groups. Mir. Lee gave his au- thorization several days ago. and 1t still stands. The road, however, is included in the first group scheduled to walk out. and the trainment may defer action until October 80.
 L. E. Sheppard. president of the conductors. said he could say noth- ing, reiterating his announcement of several days ago that no official