The sun., 1919-01-05
FREIGHT HANDLERS
VOTE TO END STRIKE
Men Will Resume Work To-
morrow Pending Adjustment
by Railroad Board.
"MILK GANG" BACK ON JOB
Italians Favored Holding Out,
but Leaders, Speech Con-
WINGED Them.

Officials Of the Railroad Administra-
ton asserted yesterday that freight was
being handled at 30 per cent. Of capacity
at the East River piers and at 80 per
cent. of normal on both sides Of the Hud-
son. The laborers asserted that their
strike had been extended to Brooklyn.
New Jersey, Staten Island and West
chester. involving from 5000 to 10000
workers. organized and unorganised.
Despite this divergence Of opinion. q
settlement Of the controversy may be
, looked for following the action yesterday
by the union men. whereby they agree to
return to work Monday morning pending
consideration Of their demands by the
Railroad Wage Adjustment Board.
At the regional headquarters Of the
Railroad Adm. nistration II was denied
that there Is n congestion Of freight at
any of the New York piers, and the EN-
barge order was explained as having
been imposed merely to hold back arriv-
1ls and so prevent any overcrowding
here. Food supplies and provisions have
been coming in freely. Several hundred
freight handlers went back to work yes
terday morning. They were utilized at
nee at the Manhattan piers, where the
need for them was greatest.
The first break In the strike came
when the union officials ordered about
$50 members Of the milk gang back
70 work late Friday night and early
Saturday morning These men were sent
to help avoid complications with re-
spect to the shortage of milk. the union
leaders being anxious to escape any re-
sponsibility for further discomoding the
public in a situation that is daily grow
ing more serious. Cars laden with
perishahle edibles and provisions were
un1aded by some of the SetV'ning
workers, but no effort was made to
handle anything else. The strikers
who thus resumed their work were
from Local s7s. Series No l. I. L. A.
with a few from Local 976 proper
Members OF Local 976. called TO
meeting in the afternoon at st. Column
ba Hail. together with representa- tives
Of several thousand striking freight
handlers outside this local. were per-
suaded after much wrangling and aim.
less discussion to appoint a committee
Of three for the purpose OF presenting
the'r grievances to the Railroad Wage
Adjustment Board. which Is to meet
Tuesday with a view to adjusting the
matter.
Internation Vice President Paul A.
Vacclrelh was telling Of an abortive at
tempt to come to an agreement with J.
J. Mantell. Terminal Manager Of the
Railroads in the New York district,
about getting the men back TO work,
pending a final settlement Of questions,
involved. when Martin Cole. a former
first vice-president OF the Interna t,onal
10, eshorenen's Union. now represent
ing the Railroad Wage Adjustment
Boari. appeared on the platform and
presented through the chairman q propo-
sition that the men return to their posts
SO that the Government might be en-
abled TO take UP their demands.
FaccarelH and other leaders strongly
urged the advisa5ihty Of accepting this
I invitation TO arbitrate, but with negli-
gible exceptions all the strikers who got
the floor wildly clamored for a contipu-
ance OF the strike unless every deman nd
was acceded to. The Italian element.
which predonlinated. was particularly
vociferous In its insistence on staying
out The majority sentiment seemed 10
he in favor Of remaining out until a
satisfactory settlement could be ef-