Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-07
'D|X|E RAIL STRIKE
: PERIL M|N|M|ZED
7, ainmen's President Says
WaIkout Vote May Not
Even Mean Tie-Up.

Possibility Of a strike on - South
eastern railroads. several of which en-
ter Washington, is as yet remote. even
though conductors. trainmen and yard
men are voting on whether they will
back up the efforts of their executive
committee to secure n wage increase
of 81 a day to the extent of walking
out If their demands are not granted.
w. \. Doak. president of the Broth
4rhood of Railroad Trainmen, said here
today that the vote is returnab!e in
this city on January 20 and that even
if the vote of the brotherhood mem-
bership is in favor of the walkout, 1T
does not necessarily mean a strike.
In the meantime. the United States
Board of Mediation, set up last May
to handle all disputes between rail-
| roads and their employees. has the
matter still in negotiation and is
working to bring about a settlement.
, Conferences have not been held in
the past few days by representatives
of the brotherhoods with railroad ex-
ecutives and a committee represent
ing the brotherhoods to negotiate with
the railroads has not been named.
There is nothing alarming about
it," Mr. Doak declared today on his
return to Washington from New York.
Edwin =. Morrow, the only mem
Der of the Mediation Board in Wash
ington, said:
THE matter has been subject of
conferences between representatives
of the Southeastern railroads. the
board and representatives of the con
ductors and trainmen. 1t is still in
negotiation.
Pressed for a statement as to
whether or not there was hope for a
settlement of the wage difficulty be-
fore q strike became effective, Mr.
Morrow referred questioners to for
mer Representative Samuel f. Wins
low, chairman of the board. who is in
Worcester, Mass. Mr.. Morrow said he
did not care to discuss the possible
strike while the matter is still In ne
gotiation.
Mr.. Doak explained that vote OF
the membership of the railroad
orotherhoods on the railroads anected
was taken before the proposal for
wage increase was submitted to the
railroads This was not decisive and
II has been resubmitted. 1t VIII ne
taken by secret ballot and is returna-
Die IN w ASnlnRJOtl JdHuai ~. O.
which time Mr.. DOak and l.. f. Shep-
pard, president of the Order OF Rail
way Conductors, will meet in Wash
.ngton to consider further action.
Vote Information Lacking.
Although the vote is now In prog
ress railroad officials generally were
without information regarding 1t. r.
r. Albright, general manager OF the
Atlantic Coast Line and chairman OF
tho general committee of southeastern
railroads, said the wage negotiations
are still under way az far as the car
rie.-s are concerned, and are IN the
hands Of a conference committee OF
railroad officials for settlement.
The order for the strike ballot was
issued In Washington on December
"a. with the approval OF President
Lee of the trainmen and president
Sheppard of the conductors. IL had
previously been brought to the atten-
ton of the mediation board.
Statements attributed today 10 rah-
road brotherhood officials declaring
that the mediation board had oeen
unable to accomplish anything to
bring about a satisfactory settlement
were met by the statement To-Day oy
Mr.. Morrow that the matter Is stu In
negotiation. ,o.h
The strike vote was ordered, DrotH
erhood officers said. after their 81,
forts at compromise had been reJecteo
by the railroads.