Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-04-08

| right of the labor heads to lead
$500 members of the Brotherhood
ginemen defied their old chiefs
strike.
Also Demand More Pay.
The engineers and firemen declared
they would not work with "scabs." as
they termed the loyal union men, and al
gneers are paid $5.76 day and they
demand S15O an hour; the firemen, paid
from $416 to $4.2S day, demanded 81
an nour.
Passenger trains would not be inter-
fcred with. the strikers said.
In the face of the opposition from
these unions. the brotherhoods OF en-
gineers. railway trainmen, firemen, and
engineers and the Switchmen's Union of
railroad officers in breaking the walk
out, and to that end union railroad men
throughout the country have been urg-
ed to report to Chicago to serve as
strike-breakers.
Managers of twenty-five railroads in
the Chicago terminal district affected
by the strike have agreed to give broth
erhood officers at least another day In
which to restore normal conditions, and,
through their spokesmen. declared them
selves confident that the unions would
succeed.
Strike Spirit in Air.
Some union leaders voiced the same
confidence. but others declared the
strike fever was ''in the air. that even
the most conservative men were quit
ting work. and that the task OF keeping
the trains moving appeared difficult.
Meanwhile supplies of certain foods
and fuel are beginning to run low in
Chicago and nearly 10000 employees have
been thrown out of work ut the stock
yards by the stoppage of receipts of
cattle. 1t was stated that unless re-
ceipts of livestock are resumed shortly,
approximately $1,000 men will be made
idle. Only eighty cars of livestock reach
ed the stockyards this morning as COM
pared to a normal daily receipts of 1000
cars.
The switchmen continue their strike
under an ultimatum from the Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen that they will
forfeit their union memberships unless
they return to work by Thursday night.
They also will lose their seniority stand
inss with the railroads.
Switchmen's strike leaders said dele
cations had been sent to Milwaukee,
Kansas City and other cities to call
strikes.
1000 Union Switchmen Breakers"
Grand lodge officers of the Brother
hood Of Railway Trainmen and the
Brotherhood of Firemen and Enginemen
called their divisional chairman on the
Chicago to plan the campaign against the
strikers.
More than 1000 union switchmen are
now at work as strike breakers. Vice
President Whitney announced. and q
similar action ia expected to be taken by
the firemen and enginemen.
Wide differences Of opinion existed as
to how many men had joined the walk |
out. Charles Riley. vice president of
which called the original strike. said
14.OOO switchmen and 5000 engineers
were idle. but railroad officials and |
brotherhood heads secuted the figures |
as far too large. They admitted, how
ever, that they had no figures on which |
to base counter claims. |
$500" Only Line Open.
W. J. frost, vice president of the
Switcnmen's Union of North America. |
said approximately 1000 of that organ
ization's members had struck, and that |
the 500 Line was the only railroad en-
[erln4 lineage the union nau Deen dDle
to keep open.
Secretary Snyder, of the railroad
managers association. announced after
I conference of road heads that between
10 and so per cent of normal freight
traffic was being handled by local EN-
,loyes, union men imported from other
divisions and office clerks pressed into
service as switch tenders. Sufficient
.rews to operate about 300 locomotives
lad been recruited in the Chicago area,
,e said.
The brotherhood Of Engineers and the
Brotherhood of Firemen and Engine
nen. entered into the struggle today. ss
result Of the walkout of engineers and
iremen on the Chicago and Northwest
rn and several other railroads.
Tied Up at Washlnotou. |
The Brotherhood Of Railway Train
nen declared in statement thar the
ailroads could not grant wage increases 4
emanded by the strikes. because the
Esch transportation act pro-
ides increased compensation to EN-
loyes without approval of the railroad
Continued on Hage TWol