The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-07-28
SW|TCHMEN ARE
NOW ON STRIKE
Twenty Five Hundred Men in
Chicago Yards Quit Work
at an Early Hour
Today.
IT MAY PROVE SERIOUS
Organized Labor Mixed Up In the
Trouble Which Effects
Nineteen Of the Big
Railroads. =
1T MAY PROVE SERIOUS

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service
CHICAGO, July 2s.-Twenty-five
hundred switchmen on nineteen rail-
roads out Of Chicago went on strike
early toady. Although the strike is
in local switching yards 1t will have
a depressing effect on practically all
trans-continental traffic.
If the strike is prolonged. 1t will
seriously hamper movements of
troops and war supplies. Coal. fuel
and food will also be tied up. and
factories which are working night
and day on war munitions will be
seriously affected.
The strike is primarily the result
of the efforts Of $500 members Of
the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men to obtain CLOSED shop" This
group comprises only about half the
local switchmen. The others are
members of the Switchmen's Union
of North America and are affiliated
with the American Fsde1atlon Of
Labor. They were at work - usual
today.
with organised labor supporting
the Switchmen's Union Of North
America, the strike resolves itself
into tight between the railroads
and organized labor on the one side
and the brotherhood switchmen on
the other.
AS . precautionary measure. en-
bargoes on perishables were ordered.
Large details of police were sent
to the railroad yards to guard against
violence.
The following roads are affected by
the strike:
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe;
Baltimore and Ohio; Chicago and Al
Chicago and Northwestern; Chicago,
ton; Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul,
Chicago, indianapolis and Louisville;
Erie: Indiana Harbor Belt; Illinois
Central; Lake Shore and Michigan;
Southern Pittsburgh. Chicago and st.
Louis; Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and
Chicago: Belt Railway Of Chicago;
Wabash; Chesapeake and Ohio.
This will be fight for liberty and
democracy against the autocracy OF
Kaiser Bilp' Lee, president Of the
Brotherhood railway trainmen, declar-
ed W. J. Frost, general organizer Of
tH6 SWllSuIuSA OufoA VI 3NoA ~
America
The brotherhood has been trying to
extract an agreement with the rail
ways that would virtually give the
brotherhood a voice in the hiring and
reinstatement of members OF the
switchfnen's union of North America,
according to the statement Of the man
ayers conference committee Of the
railways affected. The statement says
that brotherhoods demands in part
are:
"Yardmen discharged can only be
reinstated by mutual agreement be-
tween officers of the company and the
properly authorized committee repre-
senting them"
The railway managers comment fol.
lows:
"On road having a contract with
the brotherhood of railway trainmen,
the committee of this organization
could be the only one representing the
men. Therefore If non-union man or
a member Of the switchmen's union
should leave the service he could not
under the proposed rules. re-enter the
service without the consent of the
brotherhood of railway trainmen COM
mittee. For obvious reasons this con-
sent might be difficult to obtain"
James Murdoch, vice president OF
the brotherhood, who is in charge OF
fT1rf{nro1