The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1922-06-30
RAIL UNIONS SEND
OUT ULTIMATUM
Executives Told Present Wage
Scale Must Continue.
FIX JULY IS FOR WALKoUT
Jewell Issues Statement Reviewing
the Controversy Resolution in
House Asks That Labor Boards
Orders Be Rescinded.

Chicago, June 28.-An ultimatum,
based on the overwhelming vote Of
employees in favor of a nationwide
railway strike, was issued to execu-
tives of the railroads by the en-
ployees.
It was served in a telegram sent
to T. Dewitt Cuyler, chairman Of ths'
Association of Railway Executives, by
B. M. Jewell, president of the railway
employees department of the Amerf-
can Federation Of Labor.
Terms of Rail Unions.
81 am informing you, and through
you, as chairman, the heads of the
various railway systems and the Pull
man company" reads the threat, "that
unless immediate arrangements can be
made to continue payment of wages
at present in force, restore operation
under certain previous rules, now dis
continued, discontinue the contracting
out of shop work, pending negotiations
between the railway executives and
the railway employees, looking toward
satisfactory agreements between the
railways and the employees, sanction
of the vote of the employees to with
draw from employment of the road on
July / will be unavoidable"
1t was pointed out by executives OF
the unions, representing approximate
ly 100000 employees that although
the strike ballots as sent out call for
the strike order to issue on July 1,
the late on which new orders of the
United States railway labor board be-
come effective, technicalities in put
ting the order into effect would con-
sumo approximately two weeks and
that the strike really will not become
effective until July Is.
The ultimatum was drafted at ses-
sion of the union executives. Follow
ing it's dispatch they called attention
to the fact that any action by the
railway executives would of necessity
delay the actual walkout.
Difficulties Are Reviewed.
In it's text Mr.. Jewell's message re-
viewed the difficulties that have arisen
between the railways and their EN-,
plOyeeS since the passage of the ma
ti0nal transportation act, eliminating,
as they have, in the issue of the strike
ballots, and the overwhelming majori-
ties being turned in by all branches of
the employees unions in favor of the
WalkOut.
1t places responsibility for the strike
vote directly on the railway executives
and says that, in view of the strike
majOrities, there remains nothing for
the executive board of the unions to
do except sanction the walkout-unless
prevented by immediate action of the
rail chiefs forestalling this move.
Nothing nOw,' reads a portion of
the message, remains to halt this ac-
ton except the power vested in ma
tiOnal spokesman for the executives of
the railways and their employees. If
the railway executives desire, they can
confer great benefit on the carriers,
the employees and the general public.
IF, however, the executives of the
roads ignore this request, we have no
other course open to us other than
sanction of the sentiment displayed by
the members of our unions"
Wants Orders Rescinded.
Washington, June 28.-Representa-
tive Burke of Pennsylvania introduced
q resolution in the house asking con-
gress to order the United States rail-
road labor board to rescind its various
orders for reduction of railroad wages
effective July 1.