Evening star., 1922-06-28
TRAINS WILL RUN,
SAY RAIL OFFICIALS
Threatened Strike of 1',0OO,-
600 Over Wage Cut Scout
ed as Causing Tie-Up.


CHICAGO. June 2s.-The ultimatum
sent by B. NJ. Jewell, head of the rail-
way employees department Of the
American Federation OF Labor. to T.
De Witt Cuyler. chairman of the AS
sociation of Railway Executives. that
the 100000 shopmen of the nations
railroads would go on strike unless
the decisions of the Railroad Labor
Board were ignored and present
wages maintained, today was met
with silence by railway managers.
There was little indication that the
railroads would seriously consider
JewelTs demands to hold back the
sixty y-million-dollar wage cut and re-
store abolished rules governing work.
Ing conditions in the shops.
Rail union officials continued their
conferences today on plans for the
threatened walkout next month as
they hastened toward completion of
the canvass of the strike vote, which
is said to have been overwhelmingly
In favor of suspension in protest
against the wage cuts and rules laid
down under edicts from the labor
board.
Maintenance of way employees.
clerks, signalmen and other classes
whose wages were slashed in recent
orders would. in following the shop
men out on strike, take more than
100000 employees out of the rail
road service. In spite of this, rail
officials have asserted that the roads
could continue to operate to a certain
extent with train service employees
and telegraphers remaining on the
job None of the big four" brother
hoods is affected by the wage reduc-
tions due July l. and there is believed
to be little likelihood of the train
men joining a walkout.
One road is said to have 100 engines
repaired and tuned in it's roundhouses
ready to meet strike emergency.
Two-Thirds Vote Needed.
The 2,50O-word telegram addressed
to Cuyler threw no light on the
actual strike vote beyond saying 1t
was an overwhelming majority"
Ballots We're still coming in, it was
said, as they were not returnable un-
til June 80. A two-thirds majority is
required by the union bylaws to call
a strike.
Although the actual call for the
walkout was made dependent on the
railway executives reply to President
Jewelfs ultimatum, little expectation
was expressed in railroad circles that
the executives would agree to such
sweeping demands as those made by
the unions.
acted on common program to reduce
wages and obtain other advantages to
the carriers. President Jewelrs mes
sage pointed out "one benefit which
may come to the carriers and their
employees and the general public
from the fact that there are national
spokesmen of the conflicting interests
who might be able to halt a nation
wide withdrawal of men from en-
ploymeEt in the railway service If the
railway executives sincerely desired
TO avoid this consequence of their
previous course of action
For this reason the telegram said
"in behalf of and by the authority of
the executive council of the railway
employment department, 1 am inform
the responsible heads of the various
railway systems in the United States
and also the Pullman Company, most of
which are represented in the Associa-
ticn OF railway executives, that un-
less an immediate arrangement can
be made a sanction of withdrawel
from employment on July 1. 1922, as
voted blythe employees. will be una
voida ble." The three points on which
the executives are asked to meet the
employees demands are identical with
the three questions on which the
unions are now completing their
strike ballot.
Three Questions Involved.
The first ballot covers the $50, ,O00, 900
wage cut ordered by the board, ef-
fective July l. The second ballot in
wolves seven rules regarding over
time and physical examinations
fought principally because they
wiped out time-and- pay for
overtime and Sunday work. The third
strike question involved the practice
of numerous roads in farming out
certain work, declared to be in order
to avoid all the rulings on wages
and working conditions by the Fed
ersl Labor Board.
1t was learned that the general
committee of the federated shop
crafts would continue meetings to-
morrow, with the drafting of a strike
program the subject of discussions.
Blame for the entire strike situation
was placed squarely on the shoulders
OF the railway executives by Mr..
JEWELS telegram
me telegram reviewed rail events
since the passage of the TRANSPORTS
ton act. and dwelt strongly on the
refusal of the executives to establish
boards of labor adjustment, provided
Tor In the act, to settle local or re-
gional disputes.
The message also condemned the
executives for their stand on national
agreements. Wage reductions by the
Railroad Labor Board were likewise
condemned. the dispute coming he
fore the board. the telegram said. be-
cause no real attempt" was made tn
negotiate wage agreements. but
merely upon the refusal of the en-
ployes to sign on the dotted line"
WIFI STRTHE 1rrrrY o---