The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-01
HE BIG FOUR
BROTHERHoOS
FOR STRIKE
Officials Of Railway
Unions Announce
That Men Are SO
Per Cent. For the
Strike

Gn3CdSO, sept. 90 \oS tAS ASSo
ciaied Press) Leaders Of the big
four brotherhoods affiliated unions
tonight declared they had little
doubt that the railway employees
had voted for general strike rath.-
er than accept wage reduction.
but announced that the conserva-
tive counsel Of the leaders might
& prevail against a walkout.
From the opening of,she first en-
velepe, it was said, it was clear
that there would be a majority for
strike. Giving an estimated ma
jority Vice President Hurdock OF
the engineers said:
Our past experience has been
that oS per cent. of the men always
vote to strike =
Next Monday officials of the
brotherhood Of locomotive Engi-
neers, Order of Railway Conduc-
tors. Brotherhood of Locomotive
Fremen and Enginemen and
8 Switchmen's Union of North
america will meet here to count
: the strike votes of tkeir 259,000
members.
Railroad union leaders here. ex-
pect ali the bretherhoods and the
switchmen's union to cast substan-
tiaI majorities for a strike. The
affiliated shop crafts have already
voted, by a majority Of approx
! mateIy 325, 900 to $4,000 to walk
out and are only waiting to see
what action the other unions will
take and for the United States
railroad labor board to dispose of
thes pending working rules agree
ments.
Reports of the general chairmen
OF the trainmen when they assem-
bled today were plainly disapp point-
ing to the union leaders. The
trainmen had voted on a separate
ballot because their leaders did not
appreve OF The joint ballot prepared
by the other union. On September
2 President w. G. Lee addressed
circular letter to the men in
I which he pointed out FIVE reasons
whs he thpught strike would be
ssnwise at this time and why the
men might expect to accept some
wage reduction.
He asked the men to consider
the fact that wages and working
ssconditions of all classes established
.sSince 1918 were the result of a
world war. that 5,0e0,86e men are
now unemployed; that nearly all
classes of labor have been forced
by mediation, arbitration, strikes or
Z ieckouts to accept reduced rates Of
pay during the past year; that the
I increased wages granted railroad
sInen last year were based on in
creased cost Of living and that gov
eminent reports indicate a 16 per
cent. cut in living cost since July
1920.
The letter. however, apparently
has failed to influence the voting.
the general chairmen reported to-
day.
The strike vote, however, union
officials pointed out. does not nee
zessarily mean the immediate call
ing of a strike. The question as
submitted to the men carries vote
for or against "a strike unless the
wage reduction question can be set
tiled in a manner satisfactory to the
general grievance committee rep
resenting the class Of service in
which I am engaged"
The grievance committee prob
ably will meet here as soon as the
vote is canvassed, it was said, and
either take steps to reopen nego-
tiations with the roads or set a
date for the wafkout Nr. Lee in
his letter. declared ne would take
no hand in the question but per-
nit the committee to reach it's
own conclusions.
The general chairman on any
railroad system where the men vote
to strike will be given authority to
call out his followers, Mr.. Lee con-