Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1921-11-03
LABOR BOARD
HALTSSTRIKE
Threatened Nationwide Rail-
way Tieup Is Averted by
Federal Body.
NO WAGE CUT FOR YEAR
Surprise Ruling Brings Peace Follow.
ing Many Conferences With Union
Leaders at chicago-Hooper
Talks to the Rail Men.


Chicago, Oct. 2S-Fast cracking
telegraph wires the country over bore
to engineers, firemen, conductors,
trainmen, switchmen and telegraphers
tout along the lines" today the mes
sage that their strike called for Sun
day morning lis off"
Telegraphing in code the official re-
call was the first act of the day on the
part of the union heads, who at mid
night emerged from final conference
OF long, tense series of meetings and
announced that the satisfactory set
Element" they had demanded had been
reached.
While the 'big FIVE" and the teleg-
raphers, the only other union that had
decided to go through with the strike,
were sending out the strike recall, the
United States railway labor board,
which played an important part in the
final decision of the unions, prepared
to announce it's findings in the nego-
| tiations.
All the 200 men who attended the
midnight conference, which was held
at the Morrison hotel, came from the
meeting in good humor and apparent
~ relieved at the final turn of events.
They said they had been Influenced by
Ben Hooper, public" member of the
board, who told them at their morn
| ing session that the boards resolution
| of Tuesday night meant that further
petitions for pay cuts would have to
wait on pending hearings on rules and
| working conditions.
L. b. Sheppard, president of the
conductors, said that the union chiefs
felt the situation had changed so that
| If the strike started it would be
blow against the government.
| 1--WE found, as the situation devel-
oped, that by striking we would be
hitting not the railroads but the gov
ernment," he said. ut never was our
intention to fight the government"
Government plans to combat the
strike, it was learned, included a
definite, extensive program through the
courts. Twenty-four hours before the
strike would have started, injunctions
would have been asked in federal
| courts.
The vote ending the strike came late
Thursday night after all-day sessions
of the union leaders. Early in the day
general chailmen of each of the five
organizations conferred separately. In
the afternoon a joint session was held,
which was addressed by Mr.. Hooper
of the labor board. Mr.. Hooper's APP
| pearance before the board is said by
union leaders to have marked the turn
ing point which led to the final de-
eision.
Mr.. Hooper stressed the boards an
nouncement that no further wage cuts
for any class Of employees will be
considered until working conditions
for that class of employees have been
| settled. He is also said to have en-
phasized the announcement of the rail-
executives made at Wednesdays hear
ing that no changes In either wages
or working conditions will be sought,
except through the labor board, as
| provided by law.
| Union men said they construed Mr..
Hooper's remarks as indicating that
nearly year must elapse before fur
| Their wage cuts could be made effective.
even if the roads should apply for
them at once and the board should
eventually approach them.
| Both points are said to have been
highly instrumental in determining the
| final decision of the union men, who
adjourned the afternoon session to
bold long night meeting
The final decision seemed pleasing to
| union men, rail executives and the
labor board alike. Union leaders
| pointed out that they had determined
that they could not strike without OPP
posing both the labor board and the
administration, while they asserted
their real quarrel was with the roads.
Railroad executives expressed salts
faction over the decision, while mem
| bers of the labor board characterized
the action as one the unions will never
regret and which has averted incon-
ceivable hardship and an internal in
| dustrial dispute on the eve of the in
| ternational conference at Washington
| on limitation of armament.
Labor chieftains asserted that their
action marked the end of all danger
1 of strike as a result of the strike
vote taken by the unions, no walkout
now being effective until new vote is
taken. No plans are being made for
a new strike vote, w. G. Lee, chief Of