The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-02
BRAKES ON STRIKE
Pennsy Force Of 5000 Walk Out
for More Pay.
Rock Island Trainmen Are
Taking Strike Vote Now.
WAGES NOT IN CONTROVERSY
Revision of Working Rules All
Brakemen Want.
Yardmen in Illegal WaIkOut for
81 More Per Hour.

Chicago, April 2.-Strike of railroad
+employes was threatened or in prog
ress thruout the middle west today.
Following walkout of 5000 Penn
sylvania railroad employees at Fort
wayne. Ind, yesterday, 700 switchmen
and switch tenders of the Chicago
Milwaukee & st. Paul here were on
strike today
Rock Island switchmen and Broth
erhood of Railway Trainmen are re-
ported taking a strike vote with a
walkout planned for Sunday night
Officials here denied the report.
Want ST Per Hour Hike.
The seven hundred switchmen and
switch tenders employed in the Chi
cago terminal of the Chicago. Mil
waukee & ST. Paul railroad were on
strike today in protest against the re-
moval of a yardmaster and to enforce
demands for a wage increase of from
50 cents to 81 an hour
The strikers are affiliated with the
Chicago Yardmen's association recent
ly organized and the WalkDut which
occurred last night was not authorized
by the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men. Brotherhood officials said that
900 men. sufficient to handle traffic.
would remain at work. Police were
placed on guard about the yards after
200 strikers were reported to have at
tempted to overturn a passeng nger
coach.
A. f Whitney. vice president of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, as
serted that the strike was illegal and
characterized it as an attempt to dis
credit the national organization.
Not Wages with Brakes.
The strike ballot taken by members
of the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men employed on the Rock Island
system was being canvassed today by
union officials. Whether a strike Call
would be issued depended upon the
outcome of the vote. Vice President
Whitney announced.
Mr.. Whitney denied reports that Sc
cFet orders for the strike had been
sent out and said that no action would
be taken until the ballots had been
counted The trainmen demanded a
revision of working rules and no ques-
ton of higher wages is involveds Mr..
Whitney said. Conductors. brakeme en-.
train -basgase men sand switcfamen
were represented in the vote.
1900 Out at Columbus. u
Columbus. o.. April 2.-More than
200 local employees of. the Norfolk &
Western railway, including car me-
chanics, boilermakers, machinists.
blacksmiths, sheet metal workers,
coach cleaners, hostlers and iaborers
were expected to go on strike by noon
today out of sympathy for the broth
erhood of railways clerks of that sys-
tenn who are on strike.
Roanoke. Va, April 2.-Officials of
the Brotherhood of Railway Trainme en-
announced today that members of the
organization would adhere to the de-
cision to withdraw frcm service on the
Norfolk & Western railroad at
o'clock this afternoon. They claimed
conditions on the road had been rem
dered unsafe" by the strike of rail-
way clerks and that passenger and
freight traffic would be tied up by
nightfan but that mail trains would
be operated.
Local officers of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen
said members of that organiza ton
would refuse to work on trains
manned by strikebreakers.