The Washington times., 1922-06-30
Union Leaders Will Decide
After Conference Here Re-
garding WaIkout Tomorrow.
BY JAMES L. KILGALLEN,
international News service!


CHICAGO, June 30.-Whether
100000 railroad shopmen will go
out at 10 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing in strike that would seriously
handicap the operation Of the
country's railroads will be decided
at a hearing under the supervision
Of the United States\ Railroad
Labor Board that will begin at 2
o'clock this afternoon.
= Hope For Compromise Held.
There was a strong under cur.
rent Of feeling prevalent thisHulG<ns
ing that "A basis of 'comprofnise
would be found that would avert
the walkout.
Although there has been no OF.
ficial announcement OF the plan Of
settlement which the Labor Board
Ia believed to have formulated, the
prevalent understanding is that the
railroads will yield on the issue OF
contracting out shop work and that
the unions will yield In the matter
Of wage reductions.
The possibility that the board
might hold out a promise to the
unions OF wage increases when
business conditions warrant also Is
being discussed.
The developments OF the last
twenty-four hours have brought
the issue Of contracting out shop
work sharply to the front.
Although the question OF wage
arAA AAA fhnTn
in the side Of the rail employees, II
is understood that opposition to
the plan vas one OF the biggest
whelming strike vote.
Nineteen Accused As Violators.
The Labor Board already has
branded the contracting out Of
shop work as an evasion Of the
transportation act. Only nineteen
Of the 201 Class A railroads of the
country have been accused of vio-
lating the boards rule against this
practice and they have been cited
to appear before the board today.
II is believed an agreement will
be reached wherey all roads will
pledge themselves to abolish this
practice.
Union leaders carefully refrained
from making any statement Of their
attitude. b. NJ. Jewell, president
of the railway employees department
Of the American Federation Of
Labor, would make no statement
with regard to today's hearing. II
am deaf, dumb and blind" he told
those who sought to question HIM.
A significant feature of the
phraseology of the strike call"
sent out to the shop crafts en-
ployes was being pointed out today.
The call does not order the shop.
men to strike, Il was pointed out.
but authorizes" them to ''sus.
pend work at. 10 n. m, Saturday,
July l."
Technical Difference Seen.
In the event that proceedings
should be brought against the rail
union heads for calling a strike
in violation of the transportation
act. It was pointed out. the tech.
nical difference between "authoriz.
ing" and calling" one might be
taken advantage Of.
The action of the Labor Board in
citing labor chiefs and rail execu.
tives for a conference. halted the
dispatch of the strike orders to
the Brotherhood Of Maintenance of
Way Employees. This union has
voted to strike, but issuance of
the strike call will be held in abey.
ance pending the outcome Of to.
days conference. II the shopmen
rescind their strike order It is
thought unlikely that the main.
tenance OF way men will be called
out.
The authority OF the Railroad
Labor Board was challenged today
by the Congress which created Il as
a storm of denunciation followed
the citation Of union leaders on con.
spiracy charges.
Senatorial opposition, aroused by
the boards action, was cilmaxed
when its power to penslise strikes
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