Evening star., 1922-07-05
Shopmen Left to Play Lone
Hand as Maintenance
WaIkout Is Halted.
MEN DRIFTING BACK,
MANY REPORTS INDICATE
Today Considered Turning Point.
Some in Other Unions Quit
Without Orders.
Dy the Associated Press.

I}y the Associated Ifess
CHICAGO. July 5.-Railway shop
men who walked off their jobs last
saturday played a lone hand In the
rail strike today. Fears that other
unions would join the striking shop
men were virtually dispelled.
The first wide rift in railroad strike
clouds passed yesterday. when main
tenance of way employees, who include
track workers and other common
labor. definitely abandoned the loea
of walking out at this time.
Striking shopmen were reported
drifting back to work today in groups
of uncertain numbers.
Today was considered the turning
point in the strike of the $4,000 TO
100000 workers. Although respond
ing generally to the call last Satur-
day. railroad officials insisted that
many of the defections were due to
the desire of the men to take hoh-
day over the Fourth of July.
Local union reports to the office of
b. NJ. Jewell, head of the shopmen,
reiterated the union assertion that
the strike was 100 per cent efective
at all points reporting.
Many Cult Unordered.
Maintenance of way men, despite
the decision of that unions executive
council here last night to postpone
strike action for the present, were
also reported to be joining the walk
out. Such reports reached President
tirmed by news dispatches.
Freight handlers, clerks and sta
tiopary firemen and oilers Joined the
deserting ranks of shopmen at various
points, although fully as many shops
reported that men were returning to
work today. The railroads gener-
ally were advertising for new men to
take the strikers places, ana sew
eral railroads were completing ar
rangements to handle their repairs
credit for averting afan5srfke
which threatened to become general
among all classes Of railway labor
except the big four" brotherhoods
and telegraphers was generally con-
ceded to Ben w. Hooper. chairman of
the United States Railroad Labor
Board; w. L. McMenimen, labor MEM
ber of the board, and Z. F. Cradle,
president of the maintenance men
the big three" in yesterdays con-
ference.
100000 Stay ON Job.
AZ = result of the holiday confer
ence nearly 100000 maintenance of
way men, who for a week lowered
on the verge Of a strike. after voting
overwhelmingly in favor of walk
out. will remain at work.
Maintenance men will stay on the
job under protest against the $780,
100000 cut in their wages pending
negotiations for a readjustment of
wage scales upon an appeal by the
employees.
In many rail centers strikers were
notified they would forfeit all right
and consideration for employment If
they failed to return to their jobs
Immediately. Many roa.ls were ac-
cepting new men for work in the
shops
Union officials predicted that other
classes of railway labor would be-
come innoculated by the shopmen's
strike and that the effect of the walk
out would begin to show on trans
portation soon.
Railway clerks ana station em-
ployes, some of whom polled q strike
vote recently. have in many instances
made separate agreements with their
roads and any strikes by these
classes would, it il believed, be called
only on individual roada
SignaImen on Fence.
Tho railroads also waited today
for the effect Of tho message of Tim
othy Healy, president OF the sta
>ionary hremen and oilers who told
tne 5000 members of his organixa-
tion that they had - perfect right"
to strike II they wished in view Of the
railroad situation.
Signalmen still were ION the fence
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