The New York herald., 1922-07-02
100000 MEN QUIT
Trainmen Continue at
Work as Shopmen on
POI Lines of Coun-
try Walk Out.
STRIKE AGAINST U. s.
Both Government and Pub
lie VIII Back Loyal Work.
ers, Hooper Says.
MAINTENANCE MEN STAY,
Refuse to Quit Work Pending
Result Of Vote Expected
To-day.
MAINTENANCE MEN STAY,

Special Dispatch TO THE NEW York HERALD.
CHICAGO, July 1.-The strike of the
unionized shop employees of 201 rail-
roads reaching every part of the
United States, and constituting about
s5 per cent. of the country's mileage,
started at 10 o'clock this morning.
The number of men quitting their
jobs is estimated by the union leaders
at about 100000 and by the railroad
executives at not more than 100000.
They are members of the shop crafts
the men who repair and inspect pas
senger and freight cars and locomo-
tives. Their unions are affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor.
The men who operate the trains are
not on strike and do not expect to be.
Wage reductions affecting 100000
men and amounting to $134,000,0 600.
ordered by the Railway Labor Board,
also went into effect, and at the same
time freight rate reductions ordered
by the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion and estimated at 100000 900 be-
came operative.
The strike on the first day was rot
perceptible TO the public. Trains
moved on schedule-on extra schedule.
in fact. for the traffic on this Satur-
day before Independence Day was }
record breaker. Here and there re-
ports reached Chicago of train de-
layed by failure of car inspectors 10
report, but these were so few that
! operation can be described as only a
fraction less than normal.
! 3. NJ. Jewell, who. as president Of
the railway employees department OF
the labor federation, is the strike leader.
comedies that the effects OF the strike
will not be felt "for two or three days
in some places and week in others
| Thereafter he says the roads will bs
seriously crippled.
He claims a 100 per cent. walkout. on
the other hand General Manager Dillon
OF the Association of Railway Execu-
tives, said tonight to the New York
HERALD correspondent "If there is any
interruption in traffic the railways fail
to see il. II has been the biggest Sat-
urday the railroads have had in years.
A great number Of special trains have
been run. The railroads already have
made plans TO carry out their schedules
without interruption of service
Test Due Wednesday.
The fact Is that the extent 70 which
the shopmen are obeying the strike or
der could not be measured. on many
roads there is Saturday half holiday
in the shops. Sunday is a regular
holiday. except for the emergency men.
and with another routine layoff COM
ing Tuesday this is really vacation
time. The test win come on Wednes-
day morning.
The strikers and their leaders were
flabbergagted when Ben W. Hoopsr.
chairman of the Railroad Labor Board.
said in a public statement that man
who takes over the work OF a striker
cannot be called scab or strike
breaker. for the strike Is not against
the railway arrangements. but against
the Government, represented by the
labor board. Mr.. Hooper added that tn,
Government stands ready 20 back up
the decision of the labor board.
1T Is foregone conclusion that both
the public sentiment and governmental
power will protect the men who remain
in the servics or the carriers and tho
new men who take up this service"
Mr.. Hooper would not elucidate this
statement. He smiled when the CORE.
spondent asked him what steps thu
Government might take. His statement
follows In full:
There is one new thought I'm con-
nection with this strike that should be
impressed upon everybody concerned
The maa who takes Up the work that
has been abandoned by a striker has
always been called a 'scab or a strike.
breaker, terms to which much oppro-
brum attaches in some quarters
TN the present case the mon who
assume the work abandoned by the
striking railway employees cannot be
Justly reproached with the epithets
mentioned.
This Is not the customary case iu
which the employer and the employees
have a controversy about rules or
wages and each tries TO impose hIs
views upon the other.
In this case the controversy Is not
as In the former sense between tina
carriers and their employees. Tho people
by act Of Congress approved by Presi-
dent Wilson established Government
tribunal charged with the duty and
vested with the power 20 fix rates and
wages for railway employees when a
dispute about these matters ia properly
submitted. Such dispute as 20 rules and
wages was submitted and the evil
dence and arguments fully presented on
both sides.
Decisions OF these disputes wers
handed down by the United States
Labor Board. The new men who take
tho strikcrs' places are merely accepting
what Is equivalent TO a public service
the wages and working conditions "
.