The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-16
invite Mine
OFFICERS TO
RAIL PARLEY
B. M. Jewel Authorized by
Chiefs of Railroad Shop
Graft Unions to Issue Invita-
tion-Date Not Set.
JOINT ACTION TOPIC
fRy Associated Pressn

CINCINNATI, June 16.-B. NJ. Jewel,
president Of the railway employees
department of the American Fedora
ton of Labor was authorized today by
the chiefs of the railroad shopcraft
unions TO request officers of the
United Mine Workers Of America to
Join a conference Joint action be-
tween the rail men in their threatened
strAke, and the miners, who have been
on strike since April /, will be dis
cussed at Mr.. JEWELS request, if ap-
proved by the miners officials No
date was suggested.
Rail union chiefs were considering
today serving formal notice on the
railroad labor board that an over
whelming majority of 1925, 600 shop
craft and maintenance of way en-
ployeS were voting in favor of a
strike on July 1, and that the officers
Of the union would abide by the de-
cision of the workers.
The notice in effect would formally
communicate to the board the public
statement issued here last night by
the union heads which asserted tha;
the board in ordering wage reductions
had so reduced living standards that
the strike becomes an act of self
preservation" The statement also
blamed the attitude of railroad man
ayers as provocative of strike.
Decision Held Up
Decision as to the dispatch of the
formal notice to the board was held
up by the union leaders pending re-
ceipt of the boards action on further
Of cfa
employees, clerks, express, signal men,
stationary firemen and oilers and
train dispatchers.
The union heads have been in con-
ference most of this week considering
questions related to the canvass OF
the strike vote
| With the more than 100000 coal min
| ers already on strike walkout by
| railroad workers would affect a sec
| ond of the country's basic industries
| No claims have yet been made as to
! the probable extent of a transporta-
i ton tie-up, but as soon as the Amer
ican federation of labor convention
closes the rail union executives will
leave for Chicago to begin on June %
a canvass of the strike vote which is
expected to be completed by that
time.
| The strike would not include men,
bers Of the Big Four transportation
brotherhoods, whose members are en-
gagged directly in moving trains. Be
fore the close of the convention the
rail executives may ask the federations
Endorsement of d strike by the shop
craft and maintenance of way work
ers, similar to the Endorsement given
by the federation yesterday to the
miners strike.
| The attitude Of the rail union lead
ers on the threatened walkout was
summarized in a statement issued last
night at the end Of long conference
at which various problems confront
ing the railmen were discussed.
CHICAGO, June 16.-On the eve of
another railway wage slash, expected
TO lop nearly $4,000, 900 from the rail-
roads annual labor bill covering 325,-
600 employees, gossip in rail circles
centered today on the question Of
whether, if a strike ballot authorizes
the men to quit, a walkout actually
will take place.
Reports from headquarters of the
railway employees department of the
American Federation of Labor said
that the trio colored ballots of the
shop men-400,000 of them are voting
on three questions on three different
colored ballots-were that a 100 per
cent vote was expected and that in
dications thus far were that it would
be Overwhelmingly in favor a strike
Added to the shopmen's vote was
the ballot being cast by 100000 main
tenance Of way laborers. Both votes
are to be completed before July when
the $4,000 900 slash for those two
classes goes into effect The shop
union leaders have even urged their
men to have their ballots in by June
25, so that they may be advised" OF
the result before July l.
Wage Cuts Certain
Wage cuts for other classes of work
ers were regarded as certain forerun-
ners Of more strike votes. Executives
OF eleven unions decided in Cincinnati
last week to issue a strike ballot i'm.
medately on an announcement by the
board that the pay of their men would
be decreased.
With the new decision looked for to.
/ morrow three more classes-cIerks
: signalmen and stationary firemen-are
n expected to add their ballots to the
q others. That will leave only one OF
the IL organizations not voting, the
r elegraphers-who will suffer no re
r duction, not being expected to take a
o strike vote.
8 Tomorrow's slash will not cut any
e one class more than five cents an hour
e it is said and the general average is
o thought to be lower. The decision was
r expected earlier in the week but was
delayed to allow labor members of the
e board to complete minority opinion
d which is said to be lengthy