Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-10
EXPECT DAY TO
BREAK SEATTLE
STRIKE TIEUP
Union Men Seek to
Have Sympathetic
Holdout Cease.

Seattle, Wash, Feb. i0.-COn-
servative leaders of union labor
who were to meet at $50 this
morning with the general strike
conference committee hoped to in
duce the committee to recommend
that the sympathetic strike affect.
ing all but 5000 striking shipyard
workers out of $4,000 men in
volved, be called off.
Little hope was entertained by
many of the union delegates that
the general strike could be pro-
longed throughout today, the fifth
day of the strike. Descrtions in
the striking ranks came fast yes
terday, despite the committees de-
cision to continue the waikOut
A collapse of the strike move
ment was confidently expected by
officials today, despite the action of
the strikers conference committee
early Sunday morning II refusing
to yield on the question of return
ing TO work.
Plan to Break Tieup.
Municipal authorities, headed by
Mayor Ole Hanson and assisted by
committee of business men
turned their attention today to
plans Of an immediate reCrganiza-
ton of commercial activities which
have been deranged since last
Thursday by a strike Of approx
mately $1,000 union men and
women. All industries affected by
the strike will be resumed with or
without the union workers, Mayor
Hanson announced last night. and
il need be, city authorities will i'm
mediately import workers from
other sections of the country TO
take the place of the strikers.
Strikers Return to Work.
All except about 400 street car
men returned to work. Transfers,
automobile, bus and taxicab drivers,
garbage collectors, four theatrical
several other labor organizations
voted to resume work this morn
ing. Restaurants were still badly
crippled through the decision of
cooks and walters to remain out,
and the city's milk supply contin-
ued to be centered in number of
central depots.
Schools were to reopen this
morning Moving picture houses
and theatres were preparing to re-
sumo business.
Aside from the interest in the
general strike committees session,
attention was being turned today
to the water front where an open
shop" rule was to be launched by
the Waterfront Employers associa-
tion. Employers expected many
union men to return to work. know
ing that their international officials,
who refused sanction for the strike,
would uphold them. Gangs of non
union men were said to be. in read
mess to handle freight. No serious
trouble was expected by the EN-
ployers, as nearly 1000 regular
army troops are on hand to pre-
serve order.
Unions TO Be Punished.
Two other outstanding features
of the strike situation are begin
ming to attract notice. One con-
Germs the action to be taken by the
international heads of several
unions who refused sanction of the
strike of the Seattle branches.
Losses OF charter, strike benefits,
official denunciation of the locals
action and other penalties have
been threatened by the interna-
tional
A second matter of public inter
est is the apparent split in the Cen
tral Labor council, by the refusal
of many affiliated locals 10 abide by
the call to go on strike. Many union
men Of prominence predict the for
nation of a new council, marked
by the expulsion of certain mem
bers classed by them as radicals
TacOma'S Strike Ended.
Tacomas general strike. called
to support the demands made by
shipyard metal workers on the Pu-
get sound. was called off yesterday
by resolutions adopted by a strik-
ers' committee, which recommend
ed that all crafts other than ship
yard workers return to their tasks
this morning. The strike at Ia
coma, in effect since Thursday,
never interfered seriously with the
city's normal activities.