The Washington times., 1922-07-20
ROANOKE RAIL
MEN CONF|D
OF EARLY TRUCE
Triumph Near for Cause OF
Strikers, Speakers Declare
at Meeting.
BY A. CLOYD GILL,
at.tS C.-~..uondsuf

4 Staff Correspondents.
ROANOKE, Va, July 20.--For
the first time. since the walkout
three weeks ago union leaders We're
today predicting an early termi-
nation Of the strike and an amic-
able settlement Of the controversy
between the strikers and the rail-
roads.
Richard P. Dee, grand vice
president Of the striking clerks,
told a mass meeting Of the clerks
that he had every reason to be-
lieve that "by the end of the
week there will be important de-
velopments which I am confident
will mean an end to the strike.
However, it may continue longer"
he added.
Predict Victory.
H. w. Bias. chairman of the boiler
makers. also predicted that the
end of the present week should
see the beginning of the end.
These officials would not say
what forced them to these con-
illusions. Locally, union leaders ap-
pear satisfied with the outlook and are
more cheerful today than at any
time since July l.
The men themselves declare they
are prepared to continue the strike
Indefinitely. Many of them, with
the permission of their chairmen,
have accepted jobs in and near
Roanoke, while others are away on
fishing excursions with their
families. Those remaining idle
are busy on picket duty.
Much interest centers in a confer
ence to be held here between w. A.
Davis, chairman of the maintenance
OF way employees of the Norfolk and
Western and railroad officials. Some
of the maintenance men, refusing to
abide by the orders of their leaders
to remain at work, walked off the
job. Most OF them, however, have
returned to work.
The only bitterness that has mark
ed the strike locally Is the feeling
that has been expressed by striking
railroad men toward local and ma
tional officials Of the maintenance
Of way department.
e. F. Cradle, president OF the
maintenance department. is almost
as unpopular as Chairman Ben
Hooper, of the labor board.
The latest move Of the railroad
to bring strikebreakers here was dl-
vulged last night. Several students
In the manual training department
of the Virginia Polytechnic Insti-
tute at Blacksburg, Va, appeared in
Roanoke, stating that the road Of
fered them jobs in the shops here.
The institute agreed to give them
credits OF so many units in their
course should they do the practical
shop work here. Some of them re-
turned to Blacksburg when the local
situation was explained. Others re-
turned because they were unable to
get room and board at local boarding
houses.
Picketing of the company's prop
erty has become a most pleasant
duty. A local ice cream factory Is
furnishing the pickets with all the
frozen dainties they can hold and
copies of The Washington Times
are distributed at the picket posts
by the strikers.
Another Walkout.
It appeared likely today that
should nothing develop from the
conference with the railroad OFF,
cials. hundreds Of maintenance men
will defy their leaders and walk out.
This move, local leaders believe,
would be almost as effective in
bringing an early end Of the strike
as would be obtained from a walkout
of the trainmen.
Local business and professional
men, alarmed at the continuation Of
the strike. held a mass meeting last
night at the jefferson Theater.
- Local strikers are keenly in
terested in the announcement that
the several thousand clerks of the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad are
to walk out. That road Is a re-
ceiving line for a large per-
centage Of the freight handled by
the Norfolk and Western, and q
walkout on the line would do much
TO tie UP more tightly the already
paralyzed freight traffic of the
Norfolk and Western.
Rolling stock of the Norfolk and
Western that is now in good
order has been reduced to a
minimum and great difficulty is ex.
perienced in keeping up the pas
senger schedule. No effort is
made to maintain the normal
freight schedule. The road operates
only a limited number of freight
trains. most of them being Of coal
and perishable goods.
s. A. Minter, president of the
Virginia State Federation Of Labor,
was d visitor yesterday and ad-
dressed several meetings of striking
union men and women.