New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-03

Jewell exerted pressure on AIR. Cradle
to call his men out.
When he appeared at Fridays hear
ing OF the Labor Board, called in an
effort to avert the sfaopmen strike. Mr..
Cradle contendcd that living costs were
rising Replying to this Ben W. Hoop
sr, chairman of the board, assured him
that he had noted with some surprise
that there were reports bearing out
that assertion, aud that the board
would be glad to entertain petitions
Tor wage increases. Should the ev-
oenee warrant. Mr. Hooper said. Gin
creases will be granted as cordially as
were decreases
Then Mr. Cradle stated that he pos
sessses full authority to order q strike.
should the vote auth orize him to do So
and that the issuing of sue, an order
was entirely within his discretion. He
added that 1t would not be possible 10
call the maintenance men out until to-
morrow, and probably not tben. In in
terviews with newspaper men he said
that such a strike could not be callad
until July Is.
so Per Cent Favor Strike
Following to-day's conference with
Mr.. Jewell, however. it was reported
that Mr. Cradle had undergone
change of heart. He was said to have
been impressed with the idea that
should he not order the strike. with
so per cent Of the maintenance men
reported as having voted fer 1T, the
latter might fo.ce him to resign.
One matter having a bearing en- the
question is tho contracting ont OF
maintenance work BY soma Of the
roads. One Of these, the Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific, has abandoned
the practice, 2s the result o. the bling
ing of Labor Board case against It
by the union. In this case the union
is still awaiting decision on the pay
of the men during the time the con
tracts existed. There are six other
volving the Erie, Western MARY land,
Chicago & Alton, Chi cago Great West
ern, Missouri. Kansas & Texas ana the
st. Louis Southwestern roads.
AS was pointed our recently, Mr..
CRADLES organization might have little
to gain and much to ] ose by striking.
On the other hand, it is quite true
that he has his job to consider, and is
aware of the fact. Mr. Jewell would
hazard no predictions when asked
about the question.
Both the maintenance men and the
other three Federation organizations
outside the shop crafts, the clerks, sig
nalmen and stationary fi2emen, have
full autonomy to act" Mr.. Jewell said.
GAS TO whether they will strike, all
know is that their heads declared with
the shop craft chiefs that they would
sanction a strike if the vote of the
members of their unions so pre-
scribed."
Mr.. Jewell disagreed With the decla-
ration of Mr.. Cradle that he alone has
tho no,uar 10 Orfa,. ef~iko
That" he declared, is up to the
strike vote and the officers have no
choice but TO act according to the re-
suits of the balloting. Determination
as to this centers in the percentage
voting of strike. III some of the rail
road unions this is as low as IS 2-3 per
cent and in others it is as high as 75.''
Hence the news which is to come
from Detroit tomorrow, is tonight
chiefly matter OF speculation of which
there is plenty.
Sitting in the conference with Mr.
Jewell and Mr.. Cradle was r. f. Fltz-
gerald, president of the clerks, freight
handlers and express and station en-
pioyees' organization. This gave rise
to a report that the members of his
organization, too, might be called out
to- morrow, but, he said, that such a
strike could not be called for several
days. So far as could be learned, ne
did not go to Cincinnati, the headQuar-
tors of his union, following the CON
ference, which he probably would have
done mad ehe intended to take such ac-
ton tomorrow.
The clerks have 300 900 members, &C.
cording to union claims.
Roads Advertise for Men
The advertisements placed by the five
roads named with the Chicago news
papers called for car repair men and
helpers, boilermakers and mach:nists.
Some Of them declared that STANDARD
wages" would be paid and others that
the wages would be in accordance with
the decisions of the Labor Board. One
road, the Indiana Harbor Belt Line,
wanted men for piecework, to which
the American Federation of Labor is
Fundamentally opposed.
From one of the railroad executives
1t was learned that the Western roads
had arranged with private car building
plants to repair their rolling stock as
needed. He said the road believed the
plants could handle all the work re-
CURED. Mr., Jewell was of a contrary
opinion.
Among the main features of the
days talk with Mr.. Jewell was charge
advanced by him that Wall Street and
not the operating arrangements is re-
sponsible for the present situation, the
contention that all locals of the car
mems union, the largest single organ
izaton of the shop crafts, numbering
100000, responded almost 100 per cent
in the strike" and the following as to
the present situation Of the strike:
1T is up to the railroads to make the
next move. We're sitting tight"
wall Street." said Mr.. Jewell,
brought about this strike because OF
Its financial control over the railroads
and its anti-union proclivities If the
operating officials of the roads were
tree to act, there would be 10 trouble.
The trouble Is that there are no rail
road heads who are really executives.
The control of New York finance
over the roads was shown in the action
of Mr. Bierd, president of the Chicago
d Alton, He was not among the first
to seek reductions from the Labor
Board, but assured the men Of his road
that he did not want to sec their wages
cut. Later, however he filed a petit
ton for cut--because he had TO. The
pressure brought to bear upon him was
too great"
Mr., Jewell deNied that he had de6ed
the Labor Board
The men were strongly for a strike
because of the treatment they re-
Naiya5 ba