Imperial Valley press., 1922-07-01


thousand railroad shop workers were
added to the nation s idle today when
they went out on strike against wage
reductions.
Promptly on the stroke of 10, work.
ers dropped their tools.
All shops in Chicago-the largest
strike center in the country-were clos
ed. One hundred thousand men, it was
estimated by union heads, went on
strike here.
Guards appeared as the men left
their work and were prepared to pro
tect railroad property.
Chief executives of the great rail
roads of the country conferred at the
meeting the strike.
A few blocks away in the Great
Northern Hotel, Bert M. Jewell, head
of the shop crafts union, whose de
fiance of the railroad labor board &
order to appear, prevented any hope OF
settlement at the conference of union
heads and railroad executives with the
board, met with district chairmen OF
his union. Subpoena servers sent out
by the board had been unable to locate
Jewell to bring him before the board
Strike Partly Avoided
The strike today involved black
smiths, sheet metal workers, machin
lists, electrical workers, carmen and
boiler makers.
The one ray Of hope for the railroad.
in the situation was the promise Of
heads of the maint of way
stationary firemen and engineers
clerks, express and freight handlers
not to strike until the compromise
points offered at the conference yes
terday are considered.
The extent to which strike of shop
men will affect transportation was il
clared that as far as the public was
concerned, they would not know &
strike was in progress.
Scores of engines, repaired and in
good condition, stood on the tracks
covered with canvass, ready to be run
out to take place Of equipment which
could not be repaired in case of a
walkout.
Elaborate preparations were made
to preserve order and protect railroad
property.
Police Chief Guards Shops
Chief of Police Charles Fitzmorris
in conference with railroad executives
made arrangements whereby hourly
reports will be received from each of
the shops as to whether there is any
danger of trouble.
+ Squads of police were assigned to
shop districts. Each major railroad
operating out of Chicago hired 500
guards.
All hope of strike settlement, ac-
cording to high railroad executives,
rested with the federal government.
The railroad managers contended
that the strike was directed against
the government, through a strike
against an order for wage cut issued
by the United States Railroad Labor
Board
Any further steps to bring about
peace by the board, were doubtful.
Chairman Hooper said he was awaiting
word from Washington before making
any additional effort to stop the strike.
Railroads today placed into effect
wage cuts of more than 34,000,000
year, granted by the board. Approx
mately one half of this cut was direct
ed against railway shopmen, upon
which the strike vote was taken. The
remainder was divided among the main
tenance of way employees, signal men
and other minor organizations who
have takens a strike vote. Heads of
the maintenance of way union will
confer July 3 ON whether or not a
strike will be ordered. Labor board
members believed that strike of that
organization would not be called.
At the same time the roads have
made effective cuts amounting to
$4OO, 900 year in freight rates.
Quarrel Over Contract Work
Some railroads today also proceeded
to carry out their promise made at
Yesterday conference to get out of
contracts which they have made for
shop work and maintenance of way
repairs, in defiance of the board s
orders.
One railroad, the New York Central,
tied a string to its promise, declaring
that it would agree to abolish its con
tract system only in case it avoided
strike.
The roads had first planned to meet
a strike of shopmen by throwing all
of their work into the contract system.
Whether this will be carried out now,
in view of the promises made to the
board, could ;.ot be learned.