Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-10
RAIL STRIKE GETTING
BEYOND THE CONTROL
OF UNION OFFICERS
Continued from Page one)

erS from the chicago and North,
western railroad.
The delegation was said TO have
told Mr. Whitney that a vote Womb
| be taken within tWenty-four hour,
with view to ending the strike or
that railroad by Saturday night
Brotherhood officers said that a
number of strikers returned tc
work today and predicted that the
movement of freight in the Chicagc
area would be near normal by next
week.
Another group Of strikers today
requested the mayor of Chicago 10
take steps to settle the strike by
addressing d mass meeting of yard
employees Leaders of the insur-
gents said the strike was not only
not broken but would be carried
on until new union was com
pleted.
Breaks in a Few Places.
Reports from rail centers
throughout the country indicated
that nearly thirty thousand railroad
men were on strike. Freight en-
bargoes were declared in a number
of cities. Breaks in the strike were
reported in a few places. Switch
men and brakemen on the Mis-
souri, Pacific railroad at Sedalia.
Mo. who walked out this morning,
returned to work this afternoon.
Railroad Officers in the New York
area reported that strikers were re-
turning to New Jersey yards, where
about half the workers struck.
Heads of the brothcrhoods to-
night denounced the strike as pure
ly an attempt to disrupt the old
unions. Mere time i'm which to
break the strike was asked in a Ie.-
ter addressed to the Western AssO-
citation of Railways by the five biz
railroad brotherhooda,
1--WE wish to assure the railroads
with whom we have contracts that
1t IL our purpose TO support the in
tegrity Of these contracts by en-
deavoring to protect them to the
fullest extent, in order that the
public may not be seriously incon-
venienced," the letter said.
I'VE appreciate, however, that
owing to present economic condi-
tons over which we have no con-
troll, and the fact that the situation
has been grossly misrepresented
by irresponsible persons, who have
assumed dictatorship of an unor-
gani2ed body of men, that it will DO
difficult for us to entirely relieve
the situation until we have had
further opportunity to meet and
talk with our members. We believe
the railroads will cooperate with
us to that end"
Developments OF the Day.
Important developments of the
day were the ordering of an inves-
tigatiOn of the strike by the United
states senate and an announcement
by w G. Lee, president of the
Brotherhood of Railway Tratnmen,
that the brotherhood would oppose
any attempt to settle the walkout
by mediation,
I'VE will resist every effort to
settle this Illegal strike by media
ton Mr.. Lee said. There is moth
ing to mediate with the insurgents
and the fight is now to preserve the
recognized labor organization"
The strike had become clear
cut fight between the recognized
railroad organizations and the rad
ical element among the railworker -
crs, brotherhood officers said The
brotherhoods claim that freight
traffic in Chicago was 50 per cent
of normal today was countered by
the rebel association statement
that the tie-up had become more
nearly complete.
Fight Between Rival Onions,
The question of wages and hours
had become Of secondary impor-
lance, according to John Grunau,
president of the Chicago Yardmen's
association, which called the orig
inal walkout.
The figh' has become one of su.
premacy between the new and the
old unions" GruDau said. I'VE rail-
road men are tired of receiving
nothing but promises from our
leaders. We demand results"
An optimistic statement was is
sued today by the Western General
Managers association, composed
of managers of all railroads enter
ing Chicago.
"The strike in Chicago showed
further Improvement today" said
the statement. IAN the railroads
are handling all their passenger
and suburban trains as usual. on
several roads there was a further
increase in the number of switch
ing crews working and on none of
the roads was there decrease.
THE labor brotherhoods corr
tinued to bring in members of
their organizations from outside
points to fill the places of the
strikers and there is good reason
to believe conditions in the Chicago
district will continue to improve
rapidly within the next few DAYS"
situation Serious i'm East.
In the New York area railroad
officers and union leaders were
bending efforts to break the strike,
and although conditions were re-
ported to be improving, the situa-
ton was still considered serious.
In the St. Louis district. includ-
ing East ST. Louis and Madison,
ILL.,, an embargo on all incoming
and outgoing freight traffic was
seven roads were on strike.
All railroads in Kansas City OPP
Grating under contract with the
Brotherhood of railroad trainmen
We're affected. An embargo was
declared OH incoming freight and
packing plants curtailed their out
put from so to rs per cent. Rich
ard j. Hopkins, attorney general
of Kansas, announced that blanket
against persons re-
sponsible for the strike in Kansas
City, Kans.. were being prepared.
Rail centers in California felt
the freight restrictions and east
ward along the transcontinental
lines several terminals reported
strikes.
Conditions Throughout L. s.
The following conditions were
reported I'm the cities affccted:
Chicago, 5000 men out.
New York and Jersey City, 3.iO0.
st. Louis, 5000.
Toledo. 1000.