New-York tribune., 1922-06-19
Letter TO Hooper, Assail-
ing Wage-Cut Decisions,
Says Official Call Only
Awaits Result of Ballot
Joint Action With
Miners Proposed
Lewis to Attend Confer
ences To-morrowtoM Make
Plans for Getting Coop
Grafton Of Coal Workers
By Gilman Parker


ton Of Labor, numbering more than
100000 men and comprising all the
groups except those in train service,
announced to-day that they had on.
cially notified the United State,
Railroad Labor Board Of their nton.
tion Of calling strike. previously
heralded as scheduled 10 begin
July /.
They made public a letter 70 Ben
W. Hooper, chairman Of the board.
which, after attacking that body for
its recent wage-cutting decision, con-
cluded as follows:
Await Strike Vote
Your decisions have been sub
mitted 70 strike vote Of our mem
berS and we are awaiting the result
OF their action. Should our mem.
bers decide not 70 accept your deci-
sion, or. in other words, 10 strike. We
shall sanction their action and sd-
wise you accordingly"
Three days ago the union chief.
announced that the members Of their
organizations were "voting over
whelmingly" in favor Of a strike.
Coincident with issuing % copies ~
the letter 10 the press. John L. Lewis.
president OF the United Nine Workers.
declared in an interview tast "a strike
OF the railroad workers Is inevitable"
and discussed some points Of the con
ceited action 10 be planned By the rail
employees and the coal miners AZ the
meeting % the representatives ~ the
two groups, 70 be held here Tuesday
night, under the provisions Of their
Chicago alliance.
walk-0ut Seen Inevitable
All indications in Cincinnati tonight
ara that unless the government takes
strong ard decisive steps BY way %
emergency Intervention there viii Be
some sort OF a railroad strike next
month. How widespread and effective
IL will be remains 10 be seen.
II is freely predicted By some close
observers o. the situation that ths
number ~ men who will actually 20 on
strike, n one - called. falls consld-
erably short o. the 200 900 men the
union leaders say will be affected. anc
that owing 10 separate agreements ana
other distinctive conditions of ono kind
or another a number o. The reads, such
as the Pennsylvania. will not he seri-
ously hit az any stage Of the game.
The following appraisal Of wat act.
ually is going on IN the minds % the
union heads seems 20 re Observers
mentioned 70 tell the story;
I. We want the public - believs
there's going 20 be serious 'ranspor-
tation tie-up In the United States.
2. II this doesn't WORK ve may be
forced 20 call the strike because OF
the noise we've been making about Il,
pressure from the rank and Gle and
other considerations. A, any rats.
we're more serious about II than We
were the last time.
3. Won't somebody. for Gods ssts.
please stop US?
Nevertheless. there can be no doubt
that a strike o. any considerable nun
Der OF the railroad workers OF tbs
groups concerned would have nun
Der Of exceedingly III effects on tbs
transportation systems Of tho country.
Probable Results Of Strike
with the six shop crafts out on any
Of the systems there would be an a.
most immediate crippling Of the rolling
stock OF that system-a laying OF OF
large numbers Of cars and locom otives
for want Of repair. Any one skeptical
as 10 this point need only turn 70 the
experiences Of the Illinois Central
Railroad in 1918, when government in
speetors chained hundreds OF locome-
tiyes and other % that roads rolling
stock 20 the track because Of their bad
condition resulting from n strike OF
shopmen. Should the maintenance Of
way workers, the section hands, 20
out, and their strike remain effective.
there would be 4 slowing down IN train
schedules, as h.gh-speed trains cannot
be operated over bad roadheds.
A walk.out OF such groups as the
signal men would further tend toward
a domoralization OF train service. The
whole question Of how serious The
strike will be. IL IL comes, depends,
therefore, on how many Of the rail
road workers will respond 20 the strike
call-end no enc Is attempting 10 an
ewer that question just now except the
union heads, who would, Of course,
have the public believe that the walk.
out is going to be 100 per cent sf-
fectiye.
As 70 the plans for Joint action Of
tne miners and railroad workers, 70 be
drawn up AZ Tuesdays meeting, IL Is
still difficult. even after the interview
with Mr.. Lewis, 20 SEQ what con-
crete aid the two groups can give each
other, inasmueh as the miners are a..
ready on strike.
Tremendous Weapon. Says Lewis
Nr. Lewis said, in part;
"As 10 the effectiveness OF the two
strikes going on eoncuTrently, this
would mean the keeping out Of indus
try Of more than 1900. 900 men. A
further disloeation OF industry already
Is in evidence as the result OF tho
coal strike. The combined strikes
would constitute a tremendous moral,
weapon. give the workers the advantage
OF sighting In great numbers and be
vast encouragement 70 organized labor
generally 10 stand It's ground In de-
tense OF justice and fair treatment.
"Whst practical steps can be takeu
by the two groups by way Of sssist'