Evening star., 1922-07-04
TRACK men READY
TO QUIT # PAY CUT
IS NOT CANCELLED
Cradle Presents UItimatum
as Conference Starts on
Eve of Strike.
MANY ABANDON WORK
IN ADVANCE OF ORDER
Only Issue Is Decrease in Wages.
30 Per Cent in Favor
of Walkout.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. July 4-After more
than two hours discussion today
with Chairman Ben w Hooper and
W. L. McMenimen OF the Railroad
Labor Board. e. r. Cradle. presi-
dent of the Maintenance OF Way
Union. had mot decided to cancel
the threatened strike call to hAs
100000 rail workers. The eonfer-
ence adjourned near 1 o'clock for
lunch with no settlement reached.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, July 4.-Omcials of
the maintenance of way union went
into conference with members Of the
Railroad Labor Board today in an
eleventh-hour effort to stihe the
threatening strike of common labor.
The outcome was rather dubious, as
E. F. Cradle. president of the union.
said he would tear up the strike or
ders, already prepared, only il the
board rescinded the cut-wage scale
which went into effect Sunday.
Although President Cradle has held
up the strike order. reports from
various points said maintenance OF
way men already were quitting work.
Freight handlers, clerks, oilers and
stationary firemen were reported as
joining the shop strikers, although
figures were still meager and indefi-
mite. and there was no way OF getting
an accurate estimate of the total de-
fections.
Strike orders. prepared for trans
mission to the 200 local unions of
troit headquarters when Cradle and
other union officials left for Chi
cago for today's conference.
Arrangements for the meeting were
made yesterday by telephone as union
officials completed the canvass of the
strike vote and prepared to dispatch
the strike order to the locals.
Want Delay fer Appeal.
Ben W. Hooper. chairman of the
board. in arranging the conference.
asserted that government reports on
fluctuations of the cost of living
could be made the basis Of an Inn
mediate appeal to the board by rail
employees for wage Adjustments.
Union leaders said their dhly demand
was that recent wage cuts be with
held pending an appeal.
The maintenance men cast their
ballots solely on the question OF ac-
cepting or rejecting the recent wage
slash of s60,o0O,0 900. whereas the strik-
ing shopmen, now "outlaVed" by the
Labor Board. had additional griev-
ances over decisions Affecting over.
time nav and working conditions Anc
the practice by some roads OF farm
ing out shop work to contractors.
90 Per Cent for Strike.
The vote of the maintenance men.
according to announcements follow
ing yesterdays meeting of the ex-
ecutive council of the United Brother
hood of Maintenance Of Way Em-
ployes and Railway Shop Laborers at
Detroit, was 30 per cent favorable to
a strike.
Today's meeting, it was agreed. was
the hopeful gesture toward averting
the threatened walkout, but it au-
gered more signs of peace than any
conference since rail unions began
taking their strike votes.
Number on Strike Still in Doubt.
Striking shopmen.. called outlaws"
Board, whose summons to a media
tory conference was defied last Fri
day, today entered upon the fourth
day of their walkout in protest
against wage reductions and decisions
by the board with the actual number
of men who responded to the strike
call still in doubt and no reports OF
serious effect on transportation.
AS a result of their walkout the
shopmen are beyond the pale OF the
Labor Board, whose members an
nounced that the strikers would re-
ceive no further official recognition
by the government agency set up as
arbiter of railroad controversies.
Meanwhile. in various rail centers,
the carriers displayed a formidable
attitude toward the "outlawed" shop
men. Statements to strikers an
nounced that unless the men return
ed to work Immediately they would
forfeit all seniority and protection
rights and pensions, and in some IN
stances they were threatened with
the refusal of future employment
Claim 200 strikers Returned.
In its announcement the Labor