New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-06
Board
Opens Way to
Rail Peace
tcsn.inued from page enc,

striKe vote returns from the shop
crafts came tonight. President Jewell
said the vote ON three issues averaged
There was a separate ballot FOR each
OF three grievances 100000
wage reduction effective last Saturday,
in accordance with Labor Board or
der, farming out of work by certain
carriers to contractors not within the
jurisdiction of the Labor Board and
certain working rules which cut the
overtime pay of the shopmen.
The contract system provoked the
strongest protest, according to Mr..
JEWELS report on the vote. He said
97.l Of the rank and file voted for a
strike on this issue; on the working
rules question, 96.2 per cent, and on
the wage grievance 94.7. Thus the
matter OF pay was regarded of least
consequence.
Railways. for the most part. an
nounced passenger and freight traffic
was still unimpaired. Two roads. the
Chicago & Northwestern and the Nor
folk & Southern, were reported to have
withdrawn a few unimportant short
run trains.
Several carriers have served notice
that striking employees who fail to
report for duty before July IL will
forfeit their seniority rights
Contract Grievance Offers Basis
In evolving any effective peace plans,
it seems generally agreed, the Railroad
Labor Board will consider the fact that
the shipments chief has been obdurate
in his assertion that only some conces-
sion from the roads on the three points
at issue can move him to back down.
Some optimistic predictions were that,
contrary TO former declarations, Mr..
Jewell will not hold out for something
on each of the three points, but that
membership if given concessions on
grievance.
1t also was pointed out that the La
Dor Board is in a fair way of arrang-
ing compromise on this basis; that
virtually all roads have agreed to
abandon the farming out practice.
Public sentiment is against the
strike, and public sentiment is bound
to win" reads a circular letter from
the National Industrial Traffic League
to its members.
Gwen if the strike is peaceable
one, and without violence or disturb
ance of any kind, and is conducted
without destruction of property or the
molestation of other employees, it still
will be highly expensive and costly to
the companies.
'The resultant increases in operat-
ing expenses and other Indebtedness
will be cast upon the shipping, travel
ing and tax-paying public"
The letter URGES members to "stand
by the carriers and suffer any and all
inconvenience necessary to insure the
award of the Labor Board being prop
erly enforced"
Statement by Hooper
Mr., Hooper's statement tonight said ::
"Inasmuch as you do not claim to
be officially representing any body
before the Railroad Labor Board at
this time, it is not deemed necessary
for the board to make reply to your
letter of the fourth instant.
~ desire to make personal reply,
however, in order that no portion Of
the general public may be misled as
to the boards position and to the
end that any Misunderstanding that
may exist in the minds of yourself and
your associates shall be cleared up.
at is not my purpose to discuss
of the boards wage decisions, further
than to say that the minimum wage
of which you complain doesn't apply
to the class of employee now on a
strike; that the class affected by it
is not striking, but is endeavoring
to obtain redress for such grievances
as may have in conformity with
the transport act; that said minimum
wage affects only .O04 per cent of the
railroad railway employees of the
United States and only 33 per cent
of the class directly ed-that is
to say, only STOP men out of total
of 200,031; that none of these are in
the Eastern or Northwestern territory,
but are in limited sections of the
Southwest and Southeast, where the
cost of food, fuel, clothing and hous-
ing is far below the country's average;
that the minimum in question has not
been extended by the carriers even to
single section in addition to that
where it already exists; that the mini
--"------------ ---------------