The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-15
Sixteen Railroad Unions Take
Secret Vote to Walk Out.
Ninety-Seven Per Cent of Main
tenance of Way VIII Join.
THREE CALLED TO WHITE HOUSE
Date for Rail Tie-Up' Has Not
Been Decided.
October 80 Has Been Reported
as Definite Date.

Washington. Oct. 15.-The three rep
resentatives of the public on the rail-
road board were summoned to the
White House today by President
Harding, presumably to discuss means
of averting the threatened strike of
railway employees.
After remaining in the conference
about fifteen minutes, the president
returned to the White House, leaving
the labor board members and the in
terstate commerce commission mem
bers IN conference.
President Harding today assumed
active leadership in the governments
efforts to settle differences between
the railroads and their employees, and
designated as the best available agen-
cies to avert serious labor compllca-
tions, the public group of the railroad
labor board and the membership o.
the interstate commerce commission.
Arriving at the interstate commerce
commission building the president ana
the lobar board members went into the
commission hearing room, the doors
were locked, and conference win
the full membership OF the coIlIhla
The president brought together the
three public representatives on tHe
of the commission in a meeting TO con-
slider not only the threatened nauoh-
wide strike, but the whole question OF
a readiustment of railroad rates ana
wages. .4,..-
r,bairuan Barton. G. Wallace w.
Hanger and Ben w. Hooper, came 10
Wa ashington at the presidents 5 urgent
request and went with him to the Of
flee of the interstate commerce COM
Ea
mission where members Oh lhe CUM
mission were waiting.
President Visits Conference.
The president remained in the con-
ference for fifteen minutes and theh
returned TO the White House, WneIe
q staternen+ was issued declaring his
move was part of a general effort at
realignment of the railroad sltuauon
"The purpose of the meeting, SAID
the White House statement, was
broad consideration of the posSiDlllty
of an early adjustment OF rallroau
rates and wages in the expectation
that it would contribute to the indus
trial revival.
Chicago. Oct. 15.-Railroad broth
orl7Cod chiefs. after two weeks Of con-
ference with their general chalrmeh
and executive committees, wound UP
Their sessions shortly after l O'Clock
today without Issuing strike can anu
clusions. High officers OF the broth
rrhoods prepared to depart for Cleve-
land tonight where the Strlke oruer'
II it is issued, will be sent out from
general headquarters
According to unofficial sources t the
strike date has been set for OCTOBER
30 None of the brotherhood leaders
would confirm this date They hold
the author alton of their member
ship. however. to order walkout
whenever it is deemed adVlSaple'
Twelve other railroad organization eX-
ecutives were conferring jointly this
afternoon, all holding the same au-
+borizatiOn Their action, according
to the head of one of these organlza- :
tions. will probably coincide with that
OF the brotherhoods.
Brothcrhoods open Office.
A suite of offices in a prominent
downtown building was opened by the
four brotherhoods today, with the des-
ignation. special Joint Committee,
on the door The names of the organ
ization appeared underneath.
Harry p. DauGh herty. assistant grand
chief of the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Engineers, is in charge of the
committee.
brotherhood officials denied that
the new offices were intended as
strike headquarters. saying that the
committee was established to transa ct
routine business. principally with the
railroad labor board here.
Lee Opposes Strike.
Mr.. Lee has consistently opposed a
strike. up until the last 24 hours. He
withdrew from the meeting of the
brotherhood chiefs here July 5, when
they voted to issue strike ballots and
prepared a separate ballot for his men
On that occasion he told the other
union leaders they were "camouflag-
ing" Ninety-five per cent of the
trainmen however, voted to walkout
While the vote was being taken, Mr.
Lee sent a circular letter to his men,
pointing out that present high wages
were based on wartime standards
that they were granted to meet the
ment reports showed a / 6 per cent de-
cline in living costs. and that 5000
600 men were reported out of work
VIII Be No Announcement.
There will be no announcement, =
Warren s. Stone, grand chief of the
brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
said at the close of the meeting today
I'VE haven't a thing to say I'm go
ing out to the football game"
other big four heads were also non
commital. The end of the conference
left the strike situation in a maze
With no official announcement of the
future program, those in railroad cir
u9les saw a ray of hope in the presi-
dents conference with members of the
railroad labor board and the interstate
commerce commission in Washington
The union conferees took the atti
tude that they would go ahead will
their strike plans have everything il
readiness and wait the final signal tf