Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-07-17
APPROXIMATELY ESQ, 600 MEN
members OF THE MACHINISTS'
union, OFFICIALS DECLARE
OF This Number Almost 1000 Are Employ
ed in Railroad Shops or in Shops Doing
Railroad Work; the Rest Are Scattered
Through Various Other Industries. .~
tBY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,

Washington. July 16.-The In
ternational Association of Machin-
lists, one of the most important of
the organizations participating in
the railroad shopmens strike,
numbers on its rolls approximate
ly 100000 men, officials declare, Of
which 100000 are employed in
railroad shops or in shops doing
railroad work. The rest are scat
tered through various other indus
tries.
The organization Is among the
oldest of the country, It Is claimed,
although its present title does not
date farther back than 1889. In
1858 groups of skilled blacksmiths
and machinists bonded together to
form their first organization. The
union thrived for some years, and
became a part of the famous
knights of Labor when that body
was organized. about fifty years
ago.
Became Dominant Faction.
SO important part did the rail-
road machinists take in that body
that they became the dominant
faction. In the eighties, leaders
recalled. when the Knights of La
Dor went under the ban, the mem
bers, especially in the west, had to
change their names and seek Jobs
elsewhere, hiding their union
membership to avoid persecution.
The knights were finally dis
rupted and the machinists got
along as best they could until, in
1888, the railroad machinists in
the,shops at Atlanta, Ca, met and
organized.
At the first yearly convention
machinists' representatives from
various sections of the country at
tended, and the name was fixed
as the National Association of Ma
(chinists. The next year delegates
from Canada, practically the entire
country, and elsewhere, attended,
the organization was extended to
International body, and the name
changed to the present title.
The membership, composed for
the most part of the highest type
or skilled mechanics, has always
taken leading part in the rail-
reading, both in this country and
Canada. though to little extent in
Mexico. While the various local
sections OF the union have been en-
broiled In constant trouble of one
sort or another with the railroad
executives, union officials decIar-
ed, the present walkout is onlv the
second general strike Of the entire
body.
The first occurred in 1901, when
the men rebelled against the ten
hour day and struck from Nav Ia
December. The association count
ed that one o moral victory, for
the men generally never returned
to the ten-hour day, the maximum
remaining at nine hours, which
several years later was reduced tc
\ eight.
At that time, however, officials
sair, the organization did not adhere
to the main principle Of the present
strike, that no men should return
to work until agreements paved
the way for the return of all, but
the men went back to their Jobs
by local groups.
Unions VIII Fight.
However, 1t was emphatically
declared on the first day of the
present strike, that Just as the raj
executives have organized into one
central body to lower wages, sc
J will the unions fight in one organ.
ization for the return to former
. scales.