The New York herald., 1922-07-23
ROADS FIGHT STRIKE
BY FORMING UNIONS
Control by Federation Of
Labor Is Challenged by
Executives.
WORKERS GIVE WARNING
Assert Plan Will ALLEVIATE
Public and Operating
Forces on Lines.
WORKERS GIVE WARNING

A challenge OF the American Fedora
tion OF Labor's control over the shop
craft organizations was seen yesterday
In an announcement by railway execu-
tives that shop unions OF employees
were being formed along the lines OF
the Pennsylvania systems federation.
which would make controversies like
the present shopmen's strike more
simple matter to deal with.
That such organisations are In the
process Of formation on the Delaware
and Hudson. the Lehigh and the Lacka-
wanna was admitted yesterday by John
g. Walber. chairman of the bureau OF
Information of the Eastern railroads.
who said also that II they came into
being as a natural consequence of the
recent suggestion OF the United States
Railroad Labor Board that some such
representation was necessary the rail-
roads could see a factor that might
eventually break the hold of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor over the shop
unions. So far, it was said. the move
msnt has not extended beyond the shop
crafts.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS tHdt LlAo LOhQ ulaud6cy
ments had decided to encourage this
SOFT OF organization among employees
as a means of meeting existing condi-
tions brought statement from John
J. Dowd. International vice-president of
the Brotherhood of Boilermakers and
chairman OF the central strike COM
mittee.
Sees Attack ON Unionism.
Every railroad that announces the
establishment of a company union an
nounces at the same time that 1t is at
tempting to use the strike as q means
of establishing the open shop" he said.
Enough roads, have made the an
already to prove that the
railway interests have de-
termined to stamp out. unionism among
their employees.
This Is direct challenge to every
union. including those not on strike. 1t
Is an advance notice to the engineers,
and others that IL the roads
win against the shopcrafts their turn
will come next. This latest development
will DO more than anything that has
to arouse the entire body OF
workers to the necessity OF
by the shopcrafts. 1t, will rally
the support Of organized labor In every
other industry because 1t strikes at the
heart of American trade unionism."
Railway executives yesterday, while
that the principles employed
by the Pennsylvania system were being
used as a guide, credited the growth Of
the movement to the suggestion of the
Labor Board that the shopmen
at work since the strike began on July
/ should be organized Independently of
the striking unions so that they might
have corporate identity in negotiations
with the Federal board.
strength of shop Unions.
According to Secretary John @. Wal
Der, spokesman for the railway execu-
tives, the independent" or shop unions,
where they. have been organized. have a
strength of So per cent. or better Of the
normal force to draw from. This would
Increase, he explained, as the striking
men drifted back to work. 1t was his
opinion that when the movement at
tanned full momentum national strikes
in the shop crafts might be a thing OF
the past. He denied that the roads had
set about to split the exist
ing national organizations. Officials of
the Lehigh Valley road said they were
without details yet as to the extent OF
the movement, but admitted that 1t was
under way among their employees Z.
M. Rine of the Lackawanna said that
the movement had not yet gone beyond
the shop trades.
A reflex of the movement was OBJ
served in a public announcement signed
by Daniel willard, president Of the Bal
timore and Ohio. IL said In part:
There are no matters in controversy
between the Baltimore and Ohio Com
pany and its employees that cannot. In
my opinion, he settled and settled
promptly by a conference called for that
purpose. I am confident that II a con-
ference could be had between the repre-
sentatives of the men and officers of this
company the present unfortunate situa-
ton could be cleared UP. and the COM
pany earnestly invites the men to join
in q conference for this purpose"
The statement added that the Balti-
more and Ohio had purposely avoided
recruiting it's depleted shop forces to
full strength in the hope that the strik-
crs would return.
Tho attitude of the American Fedora
tion of Labor officials to the new shop
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