The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-04-13
SW|TCHMEN
URGED TO RETURN
ARE HANDLING NAIL AND PAS
SENGER TRAINS, But WILL
STOP If sTRIKEBREAKERs ARE
PUT TO WORK BY ESPEE

morning and after discussing the
strike situation for some time, de-
oided that they would only handle
the mail and passenger trains at that
terminal, says the Sparks Tribune.
And they will cease to handle these
trains as soon as any men are put
on by the company to take the places
of those who have left the service.
In California the situation is much
| improved and eastbound freight trains
are now handled on the Sacramento
division of the Southern Pacific.
The men are reported to have re-
turned to work at Roseville after a
couple of days absence. 1t is reported
/ that one hundred per cent of the men
out at that terminal returned. In
Oakland, Los Angeles and other west
ern terminals they are also returning
and the gradual resumption of the
| freight business is noted
Reports from the Eastern sections
are to the effect that the men are
returning to work in numbers and
that the situation is gradually clear
ing UP.
In Carlin there are several of the
men who have returned to work and
they are in position to handle trains
at that point.
The Sparks Trainmen and Switch
men have been discussing the local
situation for the last two days. The
men went out at IL o'clock on Fri
day night and since that time several
meetings have been held A large
meeting was held Sunday, attended
by all brotherhoods, while yesterday
morning meeting was held by the
men of the local yards. 1t was at
tLis meeting that the decision was
| reached to remain out. The Brother
hood of Trainmen met yesterday
afternoon to discuss the situation.
J. W. Airhart, chairman of the
trainmen's grievance committee, and
other officials of the trainmen are
working diligently endeavoring to get
the men to resume work. They point
out that the strike is not legal one
and that it is in violation OF the con-
tract the trainmen have with the
company.
Mr.. Airhart has stated that the
present situation was a peculiar one
for the trainmen and that the men
are not legally striking. He points
out that there is no head to the
present walkout and that the train
men alone have the contract with the
Southern Pacific company. He is en-
phatic in his statement that if men,
bers of the Brotherhood of Trainmen
took positions in the yards they were
in no sense of the word scabs. That
/ their action was sanctioned by the
, grand officers of the trainmen.
The officials of the company at
! Sparks are not inclined to be severe
to the men who are participating in
the trouble and it is the belief that
they will re-employ all of the men
: al their old standing if the men de-
!, eide to return to work.
All mail and passenger tidins are
being handled by the switchmen
and these trains are getting out oi
Sparks in good shape They have an
embargo on the handling of freight
trains and this embargo is now on
; though union officials are endeavor-
ing to secure the consent of the yart
men to return to work.
II Many of the men anticipate govern
II ment action within day or two i
II the situation is not clea, ID up. The,
II ascribe the present troible TO dis
II sention and factional strife within sh'
II unions and to an effort to break thu
II power of the trainmen's organization
II Some of the leaders even go so fal
/ as to express themselves in favor o
II government intervention that woul'
II get down to the very bottom Of th'
II trouble and punish those who mis-
II lead the men and secure their co
II operation in the illegal strike.
II Yesterday afternoon Superintend
Il ent Winner stated that the passenge
Il trains were moving about on time
II and that mixed trains were moving
II and that the company was awaiting
III for a decision of the men as to wha
II they would do. No efforts have bee
II made to fill the positions in tn
II Sparks yards and the inference fror
II the superintendents remarks wer
that until the men had come to som
II conclusion there would be nothin
II done by the company to fill the posi-