Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-12
MEASURE TO DEAL
WITH RAIL STRIKES
|S0FFERED TODAY
Senator Poindexter Would
Provide Penalty in Case
Commerce Is Held Up.

Legislation TO 0eal WIN RAILROAD
strikes was proposed today by Sena-
tor Poindexter. republican Wash.) },
who introduced a bill providing ten
years Imprisonment and $4,000 fines
for persons who advise, solicit or per-
suade others to join in strikes which
interfere with interstate commerce.
+ Another clause would dz penalties
Of fifteen years Imprisonment and
$4,000 fines for use Of force. vio-
lence or threats Sagsinst persohe rer
manning at work In moving Interstate
commerce. The measure was referred
to the Senate interstate commerce com
mittee, and Senator Poindexter said he
hoped Congress would act promptly.
II don't know what Congress can
do now." he said. but I hope for
prompt action to . make &c eonsplracaes amsrican
people unlawful"
Would Not He Effective.
Senator Nelson. republican. Of Min
nesota, said the remedy proposed by
the Washington senator would never
be effective, unless executed in con-
nection with court injunctions. He
said it is too late after deed IL
accomplished to say that the men
prison. Senator Poindexter charged
that the present strike is nothing
less than revolutionary. and declared
the government should act immedf-
ately.
"What we need in such an emer-
gency is a little of the sort of action
taken in other crises Of similar
character by men of the type Of
Washington, Jackson. Cleveland and
Roosevelt" he said.
BOlshevism, Says Poindexter.
"All Of this is said to be because
Joseph Grunau. switchman. was dis
charged" Senator Poindexter contin-
ued. I'm other words. the outlaw
unions claim the right to dictate the
management Of the railroads. and in
order to enforce this claim they are
willing to throw their fellow work
men throughout the country out of
work. to bring the entire community
to want and suffering, and to cut off
the food supply Of the nation. 1t is
bolshevism pure and simple. 1t is
backed up by every anarchist and
revolutionist. alien or domestic, both
OF the outdoor and parlor variety.
"If the management Of the railroads
is to be taken over by the employees
in defiance of the government and
the people. and the control of COM
merce Is to be secured by the revolu-
tionary means of cutting Off supplies
from the Ieople. then Congress has
been divested of its power ard free
government is suspended and govern
ment by dictation of an outlaw labor
union substituted in its place"
and in the protection of the functions
Of the government itself. the Wash
ington senator said the Revolutionary
organization which Is trying to en-
force its demands by cutting off food
supplies from the nation should be
fN ovphv Ind tS{
plants to government tribunals which
are available for that purpose"
Conspiracy, Says Mr.. Edge.
Several other senators Joined in the
discussion. Senator Edge. republican,
New Jersey. declared the strike seem
ed to be conspiracy" and urged
legislation providing criminal PEN
alties against men leaving employ
ment and cTppling transportation
Senator Thomas. democrat. Colorado,
also declared the strike seemed well
organized, and. he believed, to force
government ownership of railroads
There Is nothing haphazard about
it," said Mr.. Thomas. ut is thorough
signed to punish 110.000.000 people so
seriously as to compel them to ac-
ouiesce in any measure which may be
demanded by the extremists"
Many grants by Congress to organ
lied labor of privileged" demands
were deplored by Senator Thomas,
who said wage increases given rail-
road employees by the government had
been used in government ownership
nropaeanda He also said some OF
the sinister propaganda" for govern
ment ownership had come from Rus
Senator FreHnghuysen. republican,
New Jersey, denounced the strike, de-
claring it threatened the public with
sta rvation and has almost reached
the stage of red revolt. of revolution" ("
He deplored the failure of Congress
49, Cuurnip9 anti Of ri ko hin