The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-04-12
STRIKE may
RUN AGAINST
GOVERNMENT
Any Interference With Mails
to Be Reported to u. S. Of
flclals, and Action for Con-
spiracy is Possible.
REQUESTED TO REPORT
(Ry Associated Pressl

OF the mails, as result of the railroad
strike. it was announced today at the
postoffice department.
Otto Praeger, second assistant cost
master general, has sent the following
teiesram or instructions to all superin-
tendents of the railway mail service.
Instruct all chief clerks. transfer
clerks and others, to report any oh
structions, directly or indirectly. bv
conspiracy or otherwise, with passage
or mails. as result of strike, together
win names or person or persons in
vowed. Bring to immediate attention
OF local postoffice inspections and
united States District Attorneys with
request that offenders be vigorously
prosecuted if the facts warrant"
Other developments were:
ihIroduct1on of bill by Senator
Miles Poindexter, Republican. of
washington, providing Imprisonment
ana fine, for persons interfering with
the movement of interstate COM
| merce.
attorney Gen. Palmer returned to
washington and studied reports as
10 the situation so as to determine if
acuon by the department of Justice
| was warranted
| CHlCAO, Illinois, April 12.-New
York and the east became the
railroad strike center of the nation
| today. With the strength of the "out.
/ law unions waning in the central
| states and in the far west, fresh ad-
dltons to their ranks along the east
ern seaboard threatened a complete
| paralysis of passenger traffic as well
1 as freight.
AT least one line-the Central Rail-
road of New Jersey-has cancelled all
| passenger schedules, while others. in
Guiding the Pennsylvania system.
have been forced to withdraw MANY
trains. From Pittsburg west the
strikers have made no gains of note
during the last As hours and have. in
fact, lost strength in many centers.
Predictions of Brotherhood heads
and railroad officials that the strike
had reached its peak here two days
ago are borne out by the increased
traffic on all lines and the action
OF union men in more tha a score of
cities, who have voted to remain low
al to the established unions.
ray or hope for an early settle
ment of the strike was seen TODAY
when Senator Cummings announced
that the White House had promised
| to complete appointment of the rail
road board within "a hours. Brother
hool onlclals expect the strikers to-
| return to work as soon as the rail
board begins consideration of the
| wage demands. Railroad managers
affiliated with the Western Managers
association here, will not receive del
egations of strikers who seek to
present the demands formulated yes
terday, 1t was announced at mana
gers headquarters.
| Claims for Back Paw
In the settlement offer proffered by
John Crunau, president of the Chicago
fardmen's association, who called the
strike, at least one radical concession
was made-abrogation of the claims
for back pay demanded by the older
organizations in their contracts with
the government. That possibly would
mean a saving of hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars to the railroads, it was
said.
Other clauses in the proposed settle
ment agreement demanded granting of
the original wage increase called for
in the strike announcement. to be ef-
fective upon the return of the men to
work; eight-hour basic day. and time
and half for overtime, Sundays and
holidays, and double time for overtime
on Sundays and holidays.
Breaks in Strike Reported
In addition to the gradual improve
ment claimed by railroad heads in the
Chicago district, which the brother
hood officials said presaged a return
to normal throughout the country, the
organization leaders pointed to the
votes at Columbus. Fort Wayne, Ind
Akron Mich
marking definite breaks in the strike
At Akron. striking switchmen on
the Erie, Baltimore & Ohio, and Ak
ron. Canton and Youngstown rail-
roads voted at mass meeting to re-
turn to work; $50 of the 800 strikers
at Fort Wayne voted to return to
the yards this morning and the re-
, naming workers, employees of the
New York Central, will meet today
to decide their course.
At Saginaw. 100 Pere Marquette
switchmen decided to return to work
today and volunteered to go to De-
troft, Toledo, Ludington and Flint to
aid in restoring normal service.
Vote Not to Join.
In the far west and various other
cities in the Middle west local unions
voted not to join the strike Seattle,
Tacoma. Everett and Auburn, Wash,
and Cincinnati, Little Rock, Ark,
Memphis, Tenn, and st. Joseph, Mo-,
swithcmen registered that intention.
Yardmen at Duluth, Minn. and Su-
perior Wis. decided to continue work
and await developments.
Officials of the Terminal Railroad
association at st. Louis, said condi-
tions were improved. The company's
engineers voted to remain loyal
The first vote on sympathetic
strike in Canada was negative, the
Winnipeg, Man. branch of the Inter
, national Switchmen's union deciding
not to sanction any sympathetic
walkout.
Steel Mills Are Idle.
Steel mills at Youngstown, Ohio,