The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-17
Roosevelt Rail
CO-OrdinatOr
GetsTrOuncing
Chicago District Lodge
Members Give Support
to Protest Actions

- Al4AAAL4tS 4dGbJl III ddJOu44 4AAle pAtC
General Chairmen's conference Of
railroad union executives in Chi
cago, without discussion or pro-
posals from the 1900 men who had
been called to the conference
Rank and file resolutions were
passed condemning any endorse
ment of Roosevelt Railroad coor-
dinator Eastman's consolidation
and lsy-off program and demanding
united strike action to prevent the
carrying through of this program
at any point, as well as to win the
legislative program for the six hour
day, unemployment insurance, min
imum living wage for the industry
and union control of production
tasks and speed-up devices. Be-
cause Of this rank and file senti-
ment the original plan for which
the conference was called, namely to
place the brotherhoods and other
rail unions behind the Eastman
program, missed its mark.
Eastman Program
Although only two weeks elapsed
between the time news Of the con-
ference reached progressive union
members and lodges and the con-
ference date, Jan. IL, enough pres
sure was brought on the General
Chairmen to throw a scare into the
top leadership of the rail unions.
TflN6 VsGcng4AfAT9r ~ Writ -
their demand for united strike &C
ton, were backed up with delega-
tons of lodge members from the
Chicago District.
r." Eastmans specific proposal was
70 offer railroad labor some form of
dismissal wage for those who would
lose their Jobs through the wide
spread consultations planned by
the government and the roads to
ensure their profitable operation
He e1lphatically opposed the legis-
la1ive program Of the Railway La
Dor Executives which includes the
six l'our day. without reduction in
earnings, train limit and full crew
Law trc.
Mr.. Eastman commended that the
Interests of work srs in the industry
are interviewer with those of the
bond and stockholders. He pleaded
with railroad labor to allow the
roads to go full steam ahead with
their economy program; pooling
equipment and repairs, consolidat-
ing. terminals and trackage and sc
reducing working forces and pay
Trolls to gain the wherewithal for
recovery.
Union Head Replies
Grand President George Harrison
Of the Railway and Steamship
Clerks, replied to Mr.. Eastman or
behalf Of the Railway Labor Execu-
tive's Association of which he is act
ing chairman. He rejected outright
sll Of Eastman's proposals and de-
family stated that in spite Of the
opposition of the roads and the
i government, railroad labor would &C
ahead with its plans to win six
!. hour day, full crew and train limit
! bills. He advised the General Chs
:, men to go back home and get their
! neighbors to write Senators and
L Congressman to vote for measures
which neither Wall Street nor its
administration headed by Roosevelt
would tolerate.
Thereupon the conference, origi-
nally called for two full days, during
which the General Chairmen were
! to have fully discussed the ques-
( tons raised by Mr.. Eastman and
(, the Railway Labor Executives AS
ISOLATION, was adjourned without
:. warning or explanation
+: Separate conferences of the Gen
eral Chairmen Of the 81 craft unions
were set for conflicting hours, max
!. ing it impossible for any kind Of
/. Joint discussion or action. The ire
I. mendous opportunity offered the
leading officials of the railroad
unions to meet nationally in john
Z executive session was deliberately
: sidestepped. Not once, during the
: four hour session on Saturday after
: noon, was the question of strike
: action raised, either to resist the
consultations and lay-offs threat
ening in every terminal
BY thus failing to make use Of
: the only effective weapon which or
ganized railroad labor possesses, the
/. leaders of the Association of Rail
: way Labor Executives, gave ample
8 assurance to the railroads that only
: words would be put in the way OF
: the carrying through of their lay
:. off program.
:, Mass Campaign
=, The methods which the roads will
: use to effect their consolidation
/. schemes are clever and indirect
The attack will be made craft by
craft and department by depart
: nient, taking due advantage of the
/. division Of railroad labor into q
: separate unions
:. This makes it even more difficult
to arouse the membership to take
! steps to prepare for and prevent
. such piecemeal lay-offs
Semi-official associations of union
!. members, officials and lodges of the
81 craft unions are being formed in
! many terminals and they will be
prepared TO act either through their
lodges on terminal or System basis
or jointly as the occasion arises
: The building Of these broad, united
I front, rank and file associations is
!. the surest protection against the
attacks of the roads and for the de-
mands of the men, because they are
based on the mutual interests of all
railroad labor at a given terminal
and at the same time are able to
I force action in their lodges,
w WZ W an