Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-10-29
Labor Chiefs to Frame
Statement to Explain
Action to Members.
Southern Strike Only
Echo to Threatened
Railroad Crisis.

Chicago, Oct. 2S.-Railroad heads
Friday night declared the nations car
riers would go right ahead with their
plans to seek new wage cuts through
railroad labor board hearings despite
the announcement from the unions that
their action in calling off the strike
scheduled for October 80 had been in
fluenced by the boards announcement
that pay reduction petitions for any
class would not be considered until
working conditions for that class had
been settled.
''The calling off of the strike will
have no effect on the plans announced
by the carriers to seek immediate wage
duced," said Samuel FELTON,, president
of the Chicago Great Western and
chairman Of the Association of Western
Railroad Executives. Il don't know
how long. under the boards ruling, it
will take to reach a decision in any
pay cut petition, but these petitions un-
donbtedly will be presented within a
very short time. 1t will be up to the
board then to decide when action should
be taken.
II want it plain. however, that we
will seek those petitions in accordance
with the law, posting notices of cuts,
then discussing them with the en-
ptoyes and. if no agreement is reached,
appealing to the board to settle the
dispute" I
One Echo Remains
With the code messages officially
calling off the strike sent out Friday,
only one echo remained of the railroad
crisis which for two weeks Threatened
to develop into a general rail strike.
The situation was unchanged on the
international and Great Northern
where the trainmen struck last Satur-
day.
The chiefs of ''Rig Five left for their
homes Friday and by midnight scarcely
an out Of town union man was in the
city. 4 conference will be held at
Cleveland Saturday.
At this conference the brotherhood
chiefs will consider the preparation of
q statement to be submitted to the
membership of each of the five organ
izations explaining the action taken
Dor board continued work on its de-
cison on Wednesdays hearing and
probably will render it Saturday.
Announcement from the railroad Ia
Dor board that it would not be in Il
position to give consideration to any
matters that would change the rules or
working conditions or the present
scale of wages for considerable !
length of time. was one of the prin-
cipal reasons given as influencing the
brotherhoods to call off the strike. ac
cording to the text of the resolution
adopted by the brotherhoods last night. |
The text was made public here Friday.
CuyIer's Statement
The resolution calls attention to the
statement by r. Dewitt Cuyler before !
the joint meeting on Wednesday that
the railroads he represented would
neither reduce wages or change work
ing conditions except by agreement
with their men or by decision of the
labor board. The resolution then states
that they interpret the statements
mean that the short line roads would
restore wages and working conditions |
in accordance with the ruling of the |
Ilbor board. The resolution then car |
ries in full the memorandum adopted /
by the labor board pointing out the .
causes of the strike and giving Il brief |
history of the work of the board, point
ing out also that conditions now ex-
listing before the board should remove
any immediate occasion for strife.
The resolution then says, Whereas,
we interpret the foregoing memo
randum to mean a number of import
ant things to the membership of our
organizations. Among these things
We mention:
First, it is evident that the board
has adopted policy under which it will
not be in a position to give considera
ton to any application affecting the
wages or transportation employees for
a considerable length of time.
Second, that it does not psopose
to take any action on wage applica-
tiOns affecting any class of employees
until it is definitely known what work
ing conditions apply.
Third, that the train and engine
service employees will be given full con-
sideration in view of the hazard, re-
sponsibilities and other conditions pc
c,aiar to their employment" 4
The resolution then notes the
crowded condition of the labor boards
docket and the failure of the carriers
and their employees to organize volun-
tary adjustment boards whose work
would prevent numerous cases coming
UP to the board.
Board to Help
''NVe construe this to mean that the
labor board will lend its support to the
organizations in their efforts to induce
the carriers to speedily organize such ;
adjustment boards said the resolu-
ton. which concludes with: s
Therefore be it resolved. that we.
the executive committees and general
chairmen representing the organizations
named herein, are sincerely of the
opinion thot the memorandum an
nouncng the policy of the board, and
the pledges of the railroad executives
made to the board constitute an ac-
ceptablc basis of settlement justifying
the callingY off Of the strikes which
Y(Continued on Page TwoJ