New-York tribune., 1919-08-29
Administration Takes
Drastic Step to Crush
Movement Started to
Aid Interurban Men
Bi 9 BrOtherhoods
Back Uncle Sam
Shopmen's Officials Ask
Men to Give President
Ninety Days in Which
to Cut Cost of Living

WASHINGTON. Aug. 2s.-Strikins
railway employees in California. Ne
vada and New Mexico were ordered
back to work to-day by Walker D.
Hines, Director General of Railroads.
Mr. Hines set the time limit for their
return at o'clock Saturday morning.
and said that after that time the gov
eminent would man the roads if the
strikers had not returned. To this
ultimatum he added the following
threat:
"Aany one who obstructs or attacks
persons assisting or endeavoring to
assist in the possession. use, operation
or control of any railroad under Fed
erai control will be guilty of the Of
fence described and will be deals with
accordingly
BrOtherhocds Support Hines
This action, coming after the an
nouncement by the four brotherhood
: chiefs that he brotherhoods would AZ
slst the railroad administration in op-
Grating the lines if the unsanctioned
strike We're not terminated. is the
most drastic ever taken by the govern
ment in labor controversy.
The strike in the West has almost
completely tied up the Southern Pa
clc, Santa Fe and Salt Lake lines. II
originated several days ago in the de-
mands of railway men that striking
employees of the Los Angeles interurban
lines be taken back without prejudice.
When the owners of these lines. which
are not under government control. re-
fused, the railway men walked out.
Ihe action Of the railway men war
illegal" not being sanctioned by their
international bodies, and the leader,
nave urged the strikers TO return to
work These appeals had no effect, but
reports from the West tonight, follow
ing the threat of the government to
operate the roads, indicated that the
strikers are now returning to work in
small groups.
Give Government Ninety DAYS
nationwide strike of railway shop
men, which has been threatening. will
probably depend upon the governments
success in reducing the cost of living
within the next ninety days.
The executive council of the rail-
road shop crafts to-day suggested to
union locals throughout the country
that they hold off ION the pending
strike for ninety days to give the Ad-
mlnlstration its opportunity to hammer
down prices.
Ii at the end Of This period the cost
OF living mas not been materially re-
duced, the members of the shop crafta
will strike for higher wages and tho
rest of the railway employees probably
wall so out with them The strike vote
OF the shopmen will be held Tuesday.
Mr.. Hines, in addition to his order
to railway men, sent telegrams to the
Governors Of California, Nevada and
Arizona and to the Mayors OF the prin-
clpai cities in those states, asking CO.
/ operation III maintaining traffic and
in preventing interference with the
movement of trains
Hines Issues Ultimatum
The text Of the Hines ultimaturn is
as follows:
To public officers, railroad oficers
and employees, and citizens generally
IN California, Arizona and Nevada:
"A strike is in progress on tho
part of the train and engine men
and yardmen on the steam railroads
being operated by the United States
government in parts of California.
Arizona and Nevada. This strike be-
gan at Los Angeles purely IS a SYM
pathetic strike on account of con-
troversy between the Pacific Electric
Railway Company and certain en-
pioyes OF that company. The prop
erty of the company is not in tfs
possession or control OF the govern
ment of the United States
THE strike of the employees on the
steam railroads was entered upon
without any grievance being presented
or alleged The strike WAS and is .
violation and Reputation of the agree.
ments between the striking employees
and the steam railroads upon which
they worked, and also OF the national
agreemene between the United States
railroad administration and the chief
executives of the organizations to
which the strikers belong. such ma
tional agreerent providing for the
adjustment OF all causes of complaink