The Washington herald., 1922-07-01
WaIkout of 100000 Shop
Men Today Appears
Inevitable.
JEWELL DEFIES
BOARDS ORDER
Other Union Men Threat
en- to Take Action With
out Authorization.

CHICAGO. June 3o.-The nnal
effort Of the United States Railroac
Labor Board to prevent a strike Of
100000 shopmen. effective at II
a. m, tomorrow. has failed.
The strike appears Inevitable.
Blame for failure of the boar6-s
Intervention Is placed by members
on Bert NJ Jewell. head Of the rail-
way department OF the Americas
Federation of Labor.
Jewell defied the boards citation
TO appear at q conference between
union heads. members Of the board.
and railroad executives. called in
an effort TO reach an agreement
which would avert a strike.
Not TO BE Loested. =
Subpoena servers sent out by the
board were unable 20 locate him.
Jewell. in a statement issued
from his offices, claimed that the
board had exceeded its authority in
calling the conference and citins
him TO appear.
ellis head said Ben Hooper. chair
man OF the board. admitting that any
further efforts on his part 70 prevent
a strike would be futile.
He has shouldered the responsi-
bility Of defying the orders Of this
board. created 20 protect public In
terest. as well as the interest Of his
own organization"
Failure TO adjust the differences
which led to the strike order fol-
lowed what was claimed 10 be con-
cessions by the board and the rail-
road executives.
Would Obey Order.
Railroad executives snnounced thex
would obey the order Of the board
demanding that they discontinus
farming out OF shop craft and main
tenance Of way work-provided Il
would prevent a strike
Chairman Hooper. acting for the
board. told the union hesds present
that he was entirely willing 20 enter
tain a petition TO increase wages az
any time conditions changed sufh
ciently to justify an increase.
Hooper admitted that living condi-
tions had changed since the evidence
was heard by the board on which the
wage cuts were based. Living costs
had increased. he said. ana business
conditions had improved He said
that while he regarded the Increas se
]
vance. II there was any sign that a.
would be permanent wares would be
advanced in accordance on requests
Of the men 80.
Postpones Action.
Gaining Of these two points resulted
IN an assurance TO the Ooard by Pres
ident E. F. Cradle. OF the maintensnce
OF way union. in which a strike vote
A~A a.
be ordered by his organization before
S"ly ,. On that date a meeting cf
his union heads will be called 70 -cori-
slider the two propositions made IT
the conference and Il was intirnated
that no strike order will be issued.
Other unions whose leaders agreed
to withhold a strike order Temporarily
were those OF the stationary nrernen
! and engineers. signalmen and railway
clerks and freight handlers.
Several OF these union heads how
ever. expressed the opinion that n
the shopmen strike. members Of their
examinations will walk out in SYM
pathy. although they are unauthorized
to do so.
Final preparations for getting the
strike under way were completed to-.
night at Jewell's headquarters. In
structions were sent out on pickeuns
and the men were urged to conduct
themselves in an orderly manner
throughout the strike
VIII Not Reopen.
Many shops on closing today served
notice on the men that they would
not reopen tomorrow morning. The
great Pullman shops az Pullman III
employing thousands Of men. gave no.
tice as the men quit work that thew
would not reopen their repair shops
for an indefinite period.
Agreement OF the railroad execu-
tives TO abide by the boards de-
ctsions on contract labor had All
the appearance Of an old time re-
vival meeting.
Chairman Hooper called on the
executives who have risen from
the ranks" to stand up.
All except three OF the one humid
red railroad heads arose.
Hooper asked them n they
thought IL was giving their men 4
square deal TO refuse to agree to
board decisions on the contract la
Dor question.
| Asssfls Executfve..
You men who are doing the most
to violate this order of a board
created by the Federal government
will yell the loudest and longest 20
the government for protection and
assistance in case a strike should
result
! Railroad executives were confi-
dent the strike OF shopmen would
not result in q tie-up of traffic i'm
mediately. However. in case large
numbers of other union men should
join the shopmen in an unauthor-
iIed strike. as threatened. they ad-
init traffic would be badly dis
rupted.
Further steps by the United
States Railroad Labor Board to set
tie the dispute were considered
doubtful.
j The board has done everything
in Its power to prevent q strike. AZ
required by the transportstionact-"
Hooper said in closing the confer