Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-06-14
100000 RAIL MEN
TAKE STRIKE VOTE
New Reduction Brings Crisis in
Transportation Affairs.
BALLOTS ARE SENT OUT
Cuts In Wages Effective July I Now
Total $4,000. ooo-Deeision Of
Men on Walkout Is Re-
turnable June so.

q
We're sent out by the railway EN-
ployees' department Of the American
Federation OF Labor. after announce
ment was made Of S59000!OO0 slash
In wages. ordered by the United States
railway labor board.
The strike ballots are returnable
June so. the day before wage cuts,
now totaling $l10.OO0.O0O. become eff
fective.
Should the unions vote for a strike
a walkout may result July ].
r. NJ. Jewell, head of the depart
ment. in making public the fact that a
strike vote has been ordered. issued n
statement attacking the board and its
decisions. He said:
"Final decision as 10 the accept
ance or rejection Of the decision rests
with the membership Of the organiza-
tions which compose the department.
Decision Called Injustice.
"a strike vote is now being sent
out, returnable June 30.
by no stretch of the facts can this
decision be justified. IL Is obvious
that the decision was not reached
through any consideration of the mer-
its as contained in the evidence sub
mitted.
II am astOunded that a body Of the
boards prestige and dignity should
be willing 10 send out such a hastily
dressed up and obviously unfair apol-
ogy for the rates of pay awarded.
The board was offered evidence
as 20 the amount necessary 20 obtain
the necessities of life for families In
railroad communities. The rates
which result from this decision are so
far below those necessary that this
evidence must have been ignored.
1.-THE employees cannot help notic-
lng the contrast between their losses
and the increasing profits Of the rail-
roads What effect viii such con-
trast have upon our membership?
The Two Effects.
at this early date l can forecast
but Two 81 the effects of this decision:
"The first viii be an immediate con-
nrmation Of the belief among our
membership and among railroad en-
ployees I'm general that the slilroad
labor board is not an impartial court,
created 10 dispense justice, but is a
body created TO help the railroads
carry out their labor policy.
I'VE have never favored the insti-
tuition of such board. The correct
ness of our attitude ar the time when
the law was being framed is being
confirmed. We see that the law gives
20 the owners a guarantee for better
earnings than were ever before en-
j0yed. and takes from the employees
standards which they believed they
had won for all time.
THE danger lies not so much in
the attitude toward the labor board;
Il lies IN the fact that the board is
one branch of our government. The
feeling which will grow with such
decisions viii 60 far 10 undermine
the confidence Of our membership in
our national Institutions.
"They cannot feel that such a gov
eminent is their government. To
them Il will appear an employers
government
"The second effect will be lowered
morale and decreased efficiency
among the workers.
RAILROAD employees cannot view
these decisions separately. The rates
Of pay form a structure in which all
are interested. The highest paid man
must be ready 10 fight for the lowest
paid man.
Labor Members Protest.
Added impetus was given TO the
strike agitation begun by the railway
maintenance of way employees when
the United States railway labor board
slashs-i approximately SJ9,OO0.OO0 a