Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-04-07
Rail Men In
Chicago Defy
Union Heads

Chicago, Apr. 7-Representatives "a
$500 members of the Brotherhood Lo-
comotiye F'iremen and Eaginemen EN-
ployed in the Chicago switching dis
trict TODAY had defied their union Off
cials and voted to join the unauthor-
lied switchmen's strike called nearly a
week ago.
Freight traffic through the expan-
sive Chicago district already was re.
stricted seriously and both sides agreed
that if the force Of strikers was aug
mented such traffic would be brought
virtually to a standstill.
The vote of the engineers and fire
men came in the face of predictions of
grand officers of the Brotherhood %
Railway Trainmen and the Switch
mems union of North America, that by
Saturday the strike would be broken
by loyal union men rushed here from
other cities.
The engineers and firemen declared
they would not work with "scabs' as
they termed the loyal union men, and
also demanded an increased wage. En-
gineers are paid s5.75 a day and they
demand s1.50 an hour; the firemen,
paid from s4,16 to s4.2S a day, de.
manded 81 an hour.
Food Supplies Low.
Passenger trains would not be inter,
fered with, the strikers said.
Meanwhile supplies of certain foods
and fuel were beginning to run low in
Chicago and nearly 10000 employees
had been thrown out of work at the
stockyards by the stoppage of receipts
of cattle. 1t was stated that unless re-
ceipts of livestock was resumed short
ly approximately $4,000 men would be
made idle.
/ 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 tomor-
row night. They also would lose their
seniority standings with the railroads
The strikers claimed early today
that 10000 men already were out in
the district and that by night $4,000
would be on strike. Railroad officials
said about $500 switchmen ana yard
men were out. Office clerks and SUI
perintendents Joined the union strike.
breakers in the yards yesterday
| Action Is Planned.
Grand lodge officers of the Brother.
hood of Railway Trainmen and tht
Brotherhood of Firemen and Engine
men. called theire divisional chairmer
on the twenty roads affected by tn,
strike to Chicago today to plan tn,
campaign against the strikers.
More than 1000 union switchmel
are at work today as strike breakers
Vice president Whitney announced
and similar action is expected to b
taken by the firemen and enginemen
B. Corigan and M. w. Gable, assist
ant grand chief engineers, were in con
ference with the firemen and eng,n.
men chairmen this morning after vail
effort last night to prevent the unau
thorized strike of their men. There
a great deal of sympathy in the broth
erhood ranks for the switehmen, Cor
rigan said.
Situation Desperate.
''The situation has become desperat
because of the fact that the wages pal,
these men in the Chicago terminal
were absolutely not enough to live on,
,, Corrigan said. THE strikers" he add
ed, receive schedule ranging fror
81 to s5.76 a day" Continuing, h
added:
sour men could look out the win
dows Of their cabs and see common la
borers receiving more than engineer
who had devoted years to their appren
ticeship."
Railroad offices announced thi
morning that passenger trains wer
moving virtually on schedule time. an
that considerable quantities of freigh
were being moved
Only eighty cars of livestock reach
ed the stockyards this morning a
compared to normal daily receipt O
1000 cars.
Buffalo Men Out.
Buffalo, N. Y, Apr. Five hun
dred switchmen on the night shift o
all railroads entering Buffalo with Tn
exception of the Erie and Pennsylvai
lines went on a strike last night an
! this morning virtually tieing up a
freight in and out of the city. Up I
4 1890 o'clock this morning, the da
shifts had not reported and it is be
! lieved the strike will be general
F. G. Sheehan, president of tn
switchmen's union, said the strike wa
unauthorized.
Cleveland Men Stick.
Cleveland, Ohio. Apr. 7.--w. s. Car
ter, president of the Brotherhood 0
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemei
had received no official report earl
today of members of his organization
joining the strike of switehmen in Chi
cago.
$50 far as this organization is con
cerned the Chicago strike is Illegal an
will be treated as such" Mr.. Carte
said.
Warren s. Stone, president Of tn
: Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers
issued the following statement regard
inc fto Chfca on euftcfpnoffa qfrika.