The Washington herald., 1922-02-06
RAILROAD UNIONS
ACCEPT MINERS
CALL TO MEETING
Alliance Would Be Most
Powerful in Labor
History of U. S.

Of the sixteen s' standard % sga T.i,peaa
unions have sent scceptances to John
L. Lewis. president OF the United
Mine Workers. OF America, for a
conference to discuss an alliance to
combat proposed wage cuts. accord
ing to statements of labor leaders
here.
This assures calling OF the confer
ence. and it is expected that the date
will be announced this week.
This conference Is regarded as the
most significant labor move of re-
cent year. as the miners face wage
cuts when their contracts with op-
orators expire, March 81. and the
railroad workers will have a like
controversy on their hands April /.
II the railroad unions and miners
were to combine for offensive ac-
tion, 1t would be the most powerful
alliance in the history OF American
unionism.
Fear Government Action.
According to leaders here, one Of
the biggest questions to be met in
the conference will be how such an
alliance can be formed without BOOM
erang action by the governmeA in
opposing 1t as a violation Of inter-
state commerce regulations. 1t is
almost a certainty that 1t would be
considered an act in restraint of
trade, to be met by action by the
Department. of Justice.
Even II such an alliance Is formed.
1t is stated. L will not be announced
publicly and there will be no formal
q rrra hANrr
labor forces. If strikes are to fol-
low the negotiations next spring, ac-
cording to best information here.
both the miners and railroad unions
will be acting independently, to all
outward appearances.
Underwrite Coal Project.
Announcement by the big four"
train service brotherhoods that they
will not only take part in the con-
ference, but that a $1,000 900 coat
mining project has been underwrit-
ten by these unions Is not regarded
as proof that they favor such an
alliance to the extent of joining il.
The coal-mining project Of the big
four" is simply the latest addition
to the cooperative movement that
the brotherhoods have fostered for
years. These brotherhoods now own
a national bank, buildings in many
railroad centers, and are branching
out into the cooperative movement
generally. But, in case of a coal
and rail strike their ocal mining
operations would not be a drop in
the bucket. and. 1T is pointed out,
they would not be able to secure
cars to move their coal. without
n faf frNh hut
would be quickly stopped.
The interest the big four" is
evincing in the coming conference
is regarded in some railroad quar-
ters as a lever to be used in .worx
ing condition rule hearings soon to
be started for them by the United
States Railroad Labor Board.
Board Face. Decision.
The Labor Board has now cleaned
up practically all of the new rules
except the brotherhood schedules.
These schedules include eight i'm
portant cases. which will determine
the hours of labor and overtime
schedules for all train service or
sanizations.
The railroad brotherhoods would
be more interested. however, IN
what the executives Of the coo, 600
shop craft workers do in regard to
joining the mipers. President B. M.
Jewell, of the six shop craft unions,
has not et'signified his Intentions
II there is to be q finish fight next
spring the cooperation Of the shop
crafts will be needed by the other
unions. But the leaders or these
unions are doing everything pos
sible to avert any trouble because
they fear the railroads are anxiously
waiting for them to go out. II they
do. the carriers have announced.
they will operate every railroad
shop in the country on an open
shop basis