Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-09-02

LESS FEAR OF STRIKE
One Thousand Conductors Wire Gar
retson They Will Not Strike
Others Ask Injunctions.

i Chicago, Sept. presidents OF I'M
4 portant Western railroads last night
! ordered resembling or modification OF
| the freight embargo established in
preparation for general railway
strike. At the same time the rail
road executives announced defections
from the ranks of the railway brother
hoods, and declared they had enough
men to operate trains, strike or no
strike. This was denied by brother
hood officials.
Notifications of the freight embar-
60 were announced here by the Erie
and the Rock Island systems. Other
roads were expected to take similar
action within a few hours.
The railroad executives are claim
| ing the detection of thousands OF
brotherhood members.
Polls of employees who are men,
bers of the unions were practically
completed, and in general the roads
| said that they would be able to count
on the loyalty of about rs per cent.
of their trainmen, even if the strike
order were not revoked.
The most startling Of the announce
ments came from the general Offices
of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa re
in statement that the four Brother
q; x Cona'c.:
tors and Trainmen-would hold meet
ings to request the heads Of their
unions at Washington to revoke the
strike order.
In addition, suits for injunctions
against calling strikes were filed by
individual brotherhood members in
various parts of the country, includ.
ing number of Santa Fe trainmen
employed in Texas.
One thousand conductors of the
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul
telegraphed President Garretson, of
the brotherhood, that they would not
walk out if ordered to do so, and
delegation of conductors of the Chi
cago and Northwestern was en- route
to Washington to oppose strike be
fore Congress and the brotherhood
heads. At Louisville, KY, Is Louis
vile and Nashville conductors OBJ
tanned an injunction to restrain call
! ing of a" strikeron that road, assert
ing that the conductors of the road
voted against it, ard that strike
would be contrary to public policy.
Railway heads held two meetings.
The executive committee of the gen
eral managers association met alone
and later held joint meeting will;
the presidents and other high officials.
The formal statement issued by the
managers last night states that
"there is a widespread and growing
tdissaffection among the train en-
ployes. who have been ordered 'hy
their ;ieaders to strike next Monday.
From St. Louis and st. Paul came
reports that roads with headquarters
in those cities were preparing to RUIZ
trains.
Washington, Sept. . Although the
strike outlook is now brighter than il
was two days ago, local railroad Off
cials and also those in charge OF tile
terminals here, are busily. taking
measures to meet a possible crisis.
So far practically every road has
taken some precautionary steps, and
all are said to be still perfecting
such mesures, despite the outlook.
The first necessity, according to
some sources, is. to insure force of
men capable Of ding any necessary
work about the yards and offices. The
officials are busy :abUiating4 the names
Of retired men, whom they are count
ing on for an rm.rgency, and are also
making inducements to others.
| The Chesapeake and Ohio announc-
ed yesterday that it would take over
the insurance carried by the men ir;:
the RAILROAD brotherhoods and insure
them at even better terms.