Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-25
new RAIL UNIONS
ITO Be. RECOGNIZED
Labor Board win Deal With Or
ganlzations Provided They,
Are Representative
STRIKE HITS INDUSTRIES
BY Associated Press

Chicago, July 25.-New railroad Ia
Dor unions proposed by the carriers will
be recognized by the United States
Railroad Labor Board whenever they
c0me before that body with a dispute,
providing they can prove to the board
that their membership contains n ma
jorlty Of the men then at work on the
roads affected. board members said to.
day.
At the Labor Board It was said that
more than score of kilograms from
workmen who represented themselves as
among the sponsors of the new unions
had been received asking what attitude
the Labor Board would take.
L. F. Loree, chairman Of the Eastern
group Of carriers. recently announced
that the roads in his territory would
form new unions. and was understood
to have called meeting OF Eastern
railroad presidents today to discuss the
plans.
Board Has No Other Course
These members explained that under
the Transportation Act the board has
no alternative in the matter. The act.
It was explained, provides nothing
which would justify the board in taking
unions in question officially appear be-
fore the board In plea for settle
ment Of dispute between them and
the carriers.
The board then would investigate to
find II the labor organizations appear
Ing were properly organized and repre-
sentative. The term representative"
was defined as meaning that the or
ganization appearing was made up of a
majority of the workers of it's class
then at work on the road implicated
regardless of how many men normally
are employed or have been employed.
If the union was found to be repre-
sentative, the board then would have no
other course than to recognize it, 1t
Factories May Close
The railroad strike. combined with
the coal strike, was being brought home
to the public today through the an
nouncements of leaders in several in :
dustries that unless a speedily settle
ment was reached closing of the plants
with resulting unemployment, rationing
Of fuel and food supplies, and q Grip
pling OF public utilities service would
result
Steel plants. especially in the East.
will be closed on a wholesale scale II
present conditions continue until Au-
= gust, according to the head Of a large
steel corporation.
Industrial coal was said 10 be unob {.
tainable at any price in New York In
Chicago increases of from S5.23 to
1925 ton in coal prices were an
nounced. A shortage of coal cars in
bituminous fields has caused an appre :
ciable decline In production.
Further spread OF the walkout wa
considered unlikely since the announce
ment that 10000 members of station
agents union would remain at work
made by w. L. Noone. head Of tn,
union. after a conference with W. l.
McMenimen. labor member of the Raj
Labor Board.
Washington. July 25.-(By A. p. J.
A growing impression that the Admin
istration was rapidly approaching ;
point in its attitude toward the raj
strike where a decisive move 90 arres
the resulting breakdown in transporta
tion might be looked for raised som,
expectation % important development!
at today's Cabinet meeting.
President Harding, who was declared
BY Cabinet members prior to the meet
ing to be in personal charge of the
question, Is understood to have received
The opinion from some Of his adviser.