The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-17
,Rv me Associated Pressl

night TO DISCUSS -DAAAN
tBv the Associated Press)
C-focfnuati June 1T.-Strike pallots
20 stationary firemen ana ollers anu
instructions to general committees "
.sfs-,,air,en 70 decide whether TO take
a st-fFe vote will be in the mails oy
night. following the decision or the
=, Iroad labor board last night cutting
wages of members of these unions
Clerks and station employees Will not
-,l(e a general strike ballot. E H
1.-itzrerald grand president OF tns
brotherhood. announced. ne sAl,i
that the general committee on eacIl
railroad system or road would deter-
--ire vvhether or not a strike ballot
would issue and added that where
such votes were taken the men would
lie bound by the result
No WaIkout on Some Lines.
There will be no walkout on a num-
her OF roads which have made agree
ri,euts with the men which bouno
them to accept any wage slashes hiaue
A meeting between the presidents
Of railroad unions and miners undeE
cooperative agreement 10 conslueI
the threatened railroad strike hinge1
ON the arrival of John L. Lewis. pres1-
dent OF the miners, who was expected
today
Chicago. June 17.-Charging labor
members OF the board with 'incen-
dsari-rl' in advocating a strike OF rail-
way workers in protest against us
wage cut decisions and with "dtstort-
ing the sentimen Of the majority,
members of the United States rail Ia
hor board comprising the majority
today issued a vigorous statement re-
piving to the minority report and up
holding their action in ordering wage
reductions.
The statement followed announce
ment by the board of wage cuts az
gregating s26. 900 annually in the
pay OF Approximately $4,000 clerks
and station employees. signaimen, sta
tionery firemen and engineers and
other employees.
The majority members of the board
deny desire to enter into any con =
trovsrsy with the minority. The dis
senting opinion is so unusual the ma
jority statement declares. that some
features OF it should not be passed by
without notice.
But They Step From Bench.
1T is quite natural for the represen-
tatives of labor on the board to resist
all wage reductions" said the state
mcnt. This course is in harmony
with the policy of the organization
and it was pursued in connection with
the reductions in 1921 as well as those
Of the present year.
Tt is something new. however, for
labor members Of the board to issue
incendiary arguments to employees in
the board
The giving of advice of this kind
has heretofore been left to outsiders
who were not under the official obli-
cations imposed by the transportation
act. the main purpose of which is to
prevent railway strikes and protect
the public from their dire effects"
Call For a Strike!
It then quotes a paragraph from
the minority report: The transpor-
tation act aimed to substitute for the
strike such just and reasonable wages
as would render resort to he strike
unnecessary. If this tribunal created
TO determine such wages. admits that
under existing circumstances ii can
not fulfill this function. bviously the
employees must use such power as
they have to influence the labor mar
ket, which is henceforth to be the de-
termining factor in their wages"
That is to say" the majority de-
clares that IL the board makes such
admission. the mployes must strike
Not only" the majority statement
continues. do the minority step down
from the judicial position which they
occupy. to advise a strike. but they
obviously distort and misconstrue the
language OF the majority report in or
der to provide the condition which
they construe a Justification