The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-06-19
BOARD HEARS OF
PROPOSED STRIKE


Cincinnati, June 1s (By the Asso
ciated Press. Formal notice wa.
served tonight on the railroad labo,
board by the chiefs of ten railroad
unions Of their intention to gc
through with strike in event one is
authorized by the l,225,OO0 workers
whose wages are to be reduced OF
July on orders Of the board.
Coupled apparently with the actor
Of the rail union leaders was state.
ment that the railroad workers have
no alternative except to fight" made
by john L. Lewis, leader of the strik
ing coal miners, who will meet with
the rail union leaders Tuesday to
consider joint strike action. He ais
pledged the miners aid to the raj
men, but declined to state definitely
what aid might result from joint ac-
ton.
The notice was sent to the railroad
labor board in the form of a letter
reiterating the rail union leaders at
titude on the threatened walkout
which was. first definitely asserted in
their statement issued here Thursday
night. The previous statement also
includes the declaration that an over
whelming vote was being cast for the
walkout. In their letter to the board
the rail men said:
"When there occurs a miscarriage
of justice of such colossal and perma-
nent injury to railway labor as your
decision will bring about, the only
means of remedy which the injured
parties have is to refuse to accept
your decisions. This procedure is per-
fectly legal. While it should only be
used as a last resort, our membership
may decide it to be fully justified by
your denial Of elementary and long
established right and by the serious
ness of the situation which you have
created. Your decisions have been
submitted to q strike vote of our
membership and we are awaiting the
results of their action. Should our
members decide not, to acceut your
decision or in other words to strike,
we shall sanction their action and ad-
wise you accordingly"
Mr.. Lewis, the miners chief, while
asserting unwillingness to discuss the
outcome Of the coming conference
with the rail men, said the miners
"will do anything that is helpful and
constructive for The railroad men anG
for the miners themselves"
81 am convinced" declared Mr.
Lewis, "that the railroad men and the
rank and file of the railroad organ
izations frankly recognize the neces.
sity of making fight regardless OF
the consequences. And in that fight
they will have the whole souled and
active cooperation of the mine work.
ers. The nature of that cooperation
depends upon circumstances but the
help of the mine workers will not be
Of small consequence.
The presidents of the rail unions
said in their letter to the labor board
that they had done everything tc
avert a strike, pointed out that no ap.
peal was possible from the boards
decision and asserted that the uions
contentious were that the transporta.
ton law required living wage fol
employees at the bottom of the scale
of occupations, with higher rates fol
other workmen, according to Their
skill, hazard of employment, respon,
sibility, training and experience.
In making wage reductions, the
board was told that it had established
the principle that "just wages must
await the complete satisfaction OF
railroad ownership in the matter oi
rehabilitation and profits" Further
the board was told that in it's last
decision to cut the wages of clerks
signalmen and stationary firemen II
had stated as "basis Of action the
theory that labor can not be com
pletely freed from the economic laws
which likewise affect the earnings OF
capital"
"This means nothing more or less,
the letter said, ethan the treatment OF
labor as a commodity whose value
fiuctuates according to the demand fo,
and the supply of labor"
AS the result Of the boards de-
cisions, the letter said, the lowest paic
employees shave been degraded be-
low a level of bare animal subsist
ence" and the earning capacity of the
employees in the higher grades has
been reduced "below a standard o.
healthful and decent liyinp.n