Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-10
WORK KERS
WAIVER IN
STRIKE OF
SYMPATHY
Seattle Unions Divided on
Proposal to Return to
Jobs; Service Resumed
on All Car Lines.

At's N@"a
Seattle, Feb. 9.-Formal state
ments issued tonight by Mayor Ole
Hanson and citizens committee
representing 81 civic, patriotic and
business organizations, asserted the
backbone of Seattle's general strike
of $4,000 workers, now in its fourth
day, had been broken.
Almost simultaneously it was an
nounced the BARRIERS had voted to
return to work Monday morning,
and that several other labor unions
were meeting to consider similar ac-
tion. -.. .
Earlier in the evening conserva-
tive labor leaders said they believed
the general strike would end within
"a hours.
Wants Leaders Punished.
All city and public utilities are
operating 100 per cent" the mayors
statement said. Seattle, a loyal
city, has responded nobly in this
The revolution has
failed. The attempt to establish
soviet government and control and
all enterprises and indus
tries has collapsed. The govern
ment should now arrest, try and
punish all leaders in this conspiracy.
No skim milk policy should be
adopted. The city authorities have
quelled this rebellion. It is now the
governments duty to punish. The
whitewash brush must not be used"
Conspiracy Thwarted.
The Citzen's committee state
ment, signed by A. ], Rhodes chair
man, said:
Seattle has defeated an attempt
ed bolshevist revolution.
. Mayor Hanson, Chief of Police
Warren. and the great majority Of
who stood loyalty back of
them have thwarted conspiracy to
a revolution and reign of
terror in Seattle which the conspir-
ators hoped would spread to every
city in the United States and ac
the overthrow of the gov
ernment."
Despite refusal Of the union CEN
trail committee to suspend the general
sympathetic strike order, street cars
on all lines in Seattle operated on
an almost normal basis today, and |
traction company officials said serv-
ice would be 100 per cent normal
before tomorrow.
City officials declared Seattle |
would operate its industries without |
union men, and if necessary would |
advertise i'll the cast and pay the /
fares of men to take the places of |
those who are out
The Waterfront Employers as
decided today to resume |
activities on an open shop basis un-
less the union men returned to work |
tomorrow.
Theaters to be Reopened.
Several of the theaters were pre-
pared to open today but refra;ned |
from doing so at the request of EN-
ployes that the theatrical federation
be given an opportunity to take
final vote on quitting the general
strike. There was every indication
that the theaters would open to-
Although the union labor news
paper announced that the vote of |
the general strike committee early
today to continue the sympathetic
strike was unanimous, ii was learned |
from delegates that there was a
heated discussion by members who
deemed it wise to call off the strike.
1t was stated unotficially that the
vote was not unanimous but was
76 against and As for the motion to
60 back to work.
Delegates said that animosity to-
ward Director General Charles Piez
1f the United States Emergency
Fleet corporation was blamed by I
.adical speakers for much of the
that brought about the
strike of the ship yards
metal trades workers and which led
. the sympathetic strike.
Unions Divided.
The prediction that although the
notion to declare off the strike was
defeated the probable result would
De that first one local. then another
would split away from the big SYM
walkout and return to work
was freely made today by union men
themselves. 1t was stated that lead
.rs of some of the largest unions. the
.eamsters, carpenters, cooks, walters
md musicians, had expressed them
selves as in favor of discontinuing
The strike.
One report from the general strike
meeting was to the effect that the
to declare off the strike
vas defeated because it was found
hat a number of weaker unions
would not be able to reinstate in
heir jobs the men who had walked
lut.
All schools in Seattle will open to-
engineers and ianitors hav-
ng voted yesterday to return to
work.
Master BARRIERS Demand Apology
The majority of the barber shops
llso will open regardless Of whether
he men resume their chairs or not.
The master BARRIERS association yes
.erday decided that they would not
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