New-York tribune., 1919-10-15
CLERKS May Join
Express Strike

Intimation that the strike Of drivers,
helpers, truckers and platform men os
the Amo rican Railway Express Com
pany, which has completely tied up the
shipment of goods in New York, Brook
llyn and Jersey City, since midnight
Sunday, would spread to the members
Of the Railway Clerks Union was
made yesterday By Thomas ]. Lyons,
official spokesman for Local 645 of the
international Brotherhood of Team
sters.
The membership OF the Railway
Clerks Union. which numbers between
1000 and 5000, according to Mr.. Lyons,
is expected to walk out in sympathy
with the striking express drivers and
helpers. The main points which would
be affected by, a strike Of the clerks
are the Grand Central terminal, the
West Side terminal and the Pennsyl-
vania terminal. Those who are ex-
pected to quit work are the clerks who
weigh express shipments, bill them and
do other office work at the terminals.
Both the officials of the American
Railway Express here and the leaders
of Local 645, which is conducting the
express strike. waited eXpectantly yes
terday for word from Washington
which might be used as basis for set
L
company and Governor Smith have
written letters to Walker D. Hines.
Director General Of Railroads, but no
reply was received yesterday. AS soon
as reply to the mems demands is re-
ceived from the board of wages and
working conditions of the Railroad Ad-
ministration a meeting of tho strikers
will be called and the rep.y viii be
submitted to them.
hor pf tri u owl
was put at 10000 yesterday by the
union men. Robert f. NJ. Cowie, vice
president of the American Railway Ex-
press Company, said this number
was greatly exaggerated. In Jersey
City, Mr.. Lyons said, the number of
strikers is a little over 1000.
Mondays embargo, ordered by Vice
President Cowie, of the American
Railway Express Company, has prac-
tically blocked the delivery of express
packages to the New York depots of
the company. A few scattered ship
ments of perishable foods which were
expressed before the embargo was de-
clared have been transshipped by the
company TO other cities and towns.
where the goods will be disposed of to
prevent waste.
To relieve the congestion at the
depots in Brooklyn, conseignees were
asked IN a letter yesterday to call for
their goods. Automobiles, auto trucks
and other vehicles are being used to
carry away the freight Similar
means are beig employed in New York
to relieve the congested condition Of
the terminals. No attempt is being
made by the company to operate its
trucks.
Mr.. Cowie said he would make no at
tempt TO hire men to handle the traffic
until he heard from Washington.
"Only an occurrence such as this
shows the hand-to-mouth existence New
York leads in the matter Of food" he
added. .
A general organization movement is
being carried on by the teamsters
union, it was learned yesterday, and
union drivers, exclusive of milk han
dlers. may walk out in a week or two
A strike IS now in progress against a
large furniture concern. laundry wagon
drivers are out, while friction between
bread wagon drivers and the bread
companies may result in q walkout az
any time, union officials said.
Must Go Back TO Work
First. Hines Declares
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE rail
road administration does not purpos