New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-18

the strike investigation The men will
come from various parts of Northern
New Jersey.
Samuel Kessler. Assistant United
States District Attorney of Newark
said In connection with the investiga-
ton: "lf the men do not return to
work Monday. we will present evidence
to the Federal grand jury against those
who have urged the strikers not to 90
back to work and will ask for their
indictment"
Alfred A. Franck, supervising gov
eminent agent for the Eastern District,
arrived IN Newark yesterday to begin
a search for the distributors of sedi-
1,ons literature signed by the Central
revolutionary Council Of America"
calling upon railway and port workers
- prepare to take over the govern
ment.
Only about 500 strikers appeared
yesterday at the trainmen's meeting in
Grand View Hall, at Jersey City, the
smallest number that had gathered at
any of the meetings since the strike.
The morale of those present seemed
broken. and it was said that if the men
did not decide to return Immediately
there may not be enough left at the
next meeting to make vote worth
while.
Secret Ballot at Hoboken
The vote Of the enginemen and fire.
men at .Hoboken was a secret ballot
taken at the suggestion of Timothy
Shea, vice president of the brotherhood
of Firemen and Enginemen. Mr.. Shea
had hoped that if the men were given
an opportunity to express themselves
IN this manner .ney would at once de-
eide to go back. The decision, as an
nounced through j. j. Costello, of the
executive committee of the strikers,
came as a great surprise. 1t was still
the opinion of the brotherhood heads
that the few hundred that attended the
meeting, while they claim to represent
three thousand men, are not indicative
of the stand of the majority and that
the great body of the strikers are
either going back or viii be back in
day or two.
The statement issued by the strikers
at the close of the meeting, setting
forth their grievances and terms upon
which they will return to work, says
that it represents the voice of the en-
CINE men and firemen operating from
the Port of New York. 1t asserts they
will not return to work, regardless of
whatever action has been or may be
taken by railway employees elsewhere,
"These demands are" it goes on to
say, chat we receive a definite guar
antee that our wages will be increased
sufficiently to enable US to meet the
increased cost of living, so we
can maintain ourselves and families
decently and in comfort. We do not
care whether such guarantees come
from th0Railroad Wage Board or the
railroad managers.
Case of Bread and Butter
eve feel that the brotherhood chiefs
have been misled for two years by
promises on the part of the railroads
which have not been kept. The walk
out was the result of economic pres
sure which caused some of the men
to quit as individuals and instantly
the movement became general and spon-
taneous. We defy any one to prove
there has been any I. w. W.ism. com
munism or any other ism behind this
movement. That we went over the
heads of our brotherhood chiefs was
simply case of bread and butter and
shoes and stockings. Our families
could not exist any longer on promises
that were not kept"
The statement further asserts there
has been no weakening of the men
SINCE the beginning of the strike, and
denies that more than six men who
quit have returned to work on any of
the railroads in THIS district. Prior
to the issuance of the statment Presi-
dent Shea and Deputy Chief Griffinp. of
the engineers, took the news of the de-
cision to the railroad managers. with
whom they conferred during the after
noon.
j. ]. Mantell, New York manager of
the Erie Railroad and spokesman for
the Railroad Managers Association. de-
ciined to comment on the action other
IMAM to say that there had been an
Improvement all along the line.
The bright spots in the DAYS deyel
opments were ushered in with the re-
port. from Hornell that fifty brother
mood locals there had decided to stick
to their jobs and bring back all men
still out One thousand switchmen and
shopmen at Camden, N. j., voted to
return to york pending an adjustment
CT their grievances by the Railroad
Labor Board. This will restore traffic
on the West Jersey & Seashore lines
of the Philadelphia & Reading Rail-
ROAD, which had been completely tied
up by the walk-out.
New Haven EMPLOYEES Returning
More than $50 employees of the New
York, New Haven & Hartford and the
Central New England railroads reported
for duty yesterday, while the local ter
minals were flooded with returned ap-
plicants for work
The New York Central announced
that nearly all it's striking employees
had returned. The Long Island Rail-
road said both its electric and steam
service is now on normal basis and
that many strikers applying for work
being run by volunteer crews. This
line announces that freight is being
moved and that the embargo has been
lifted.
The New Haven reports that its
through passenger service is running
-