New-York tribune., 1920-06-27
Rail Strike Is
Feared Despite
Wage Decision
Rumors of Walk-Out III
Switchyards Persist,
Though Labor Leaders
Discount tie Reports
DatAe 9: Acton Uz.eezta:a
T:s1e Varies E-ou: Saturday
to Monday; Mach;n;sts
Quit Work i'm Baltimore

Quit Work i'm Baltimore
xro~ The Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, June 26.-Despite
the announcement Of the Railroad La
Dor Board Of its forthcoming decision
on the wage dispute. the rumor per-
sisted in Washington tonight that
workmen in numerous switchyards
would cease work at midnight tonight,
Sunday night or Monday night.
The announcement b ythe Railroad
Labor Board had the effect last night
of stilling this rumor, but to-day 1t
cropped out again.
Railroad Brotherhood officials here
expressed the opinion that the work
men would take no precipitate action
upon learning of the Railroad Boards
decision. They frankly admitted, how
ever, that control over the switchmen
and yard employees was uncertain.
While none would admit that the ru-
mored walkout would actually develop,
there was apparent spirit Of uncer-
tainty as to what to expect.
"It's state Of mind rather than an
actual grievance that may prompt the
switchyard employees to cease work."
one official said. He added that he had
nothing whatever tangible to base his
speculation on. "The yardmen," he
continued, "have been an uncertain
element for long time, and sporadic
vaik-outs may occur at any time"
Special Dispatch to The Tribune
BALTIMORE, June 26.-Nearly =
thousand striking switchmen and yard
men of the Pennsylvania, the Balti-
more & Ohio and the Western Mary
land railroads in this city, at meeting
this afternoon refused to heed the
warning of union leaders, including Mr..
Lee. Some Of the men jeered and
hooted at the appeal Of brotherhood
officials to return to work pending an
nouncement of the Labor Boards
award.
1t was reported among the men that
general strike of all road crews
would be called at midnight or early
tomorrow morning. Leaders were
secretive on the question.
Ohicials Of the roads said they did
not believe there would be a general
strike. The Western Maryland Rail
road is now para!yzed at Hagerstown
ss6 Baltimore. This .;ae is an im-
postazt bitunsinous Goa. ca.r;es. TIE
ssaxs o. the strikers o: a.! lines .e.e
aye being augmented.
The Orangeville mach;nists Of the
Pennsylvania and the Riverside ma
chanists of the Baltimore and Ohio
have quit work. The suspension Of the
inspection and repair work done BY
these men is a serious handicap to the
roads, but they say that they are able
to get along by drawing men who have
graduated from these positions and
placing them in the roundhouses,
CHICAGO. June 26.-W. G. Lee.
president of the Brotherhood of Rail,
way Trainmen, to-day undertook to
bring back into the brotherhood ranks
the $4,000 workers expelled for taking
part in unauthorized strikes during
the last year.
With the promise Of wage scale
decision before July 20, retroactive to
May l, there is no reason for further
dissenslon in our ranks" said Lee.
ALREADY we have taken back $4,000 of
the $4,000 men who were expelled, and
we will take back others who make
proper amends"
Lee remained in Chicago while other
heads of the Big Four Brotherhood IS
returned to their homes. He was in
wire communication with leaders of
his organization all over the country
and declared that efforts to take out
trainmen and yardmen on strike at
midnight would prove futile
1t is reported that the board, which
has been in executive session here for
three weeks, has agreed on a tentative
average wage increase for the various
crafts of % per cent Members of the
board refused to cor"oborate this re-
port.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 2s.-N;ns
members Of the organization of strik-
ing yardmen and switchmen in San
Francisco appeared in the United
States District Court here to-day to
answer to secret indictments charging
them with violation of the Lever food
control act in an alleged attempt to
halt transportation Of vital foodstuffs
through participation in the "insur-
gent" strike.
Warrants charging sixty-five strik-
ing members Of the San Francisco
Yardmens Association with violation
Of the Lever law we're served by a
United States marshal last night at a
mass meeting of the men.
PHILADELPHIA, June 2s.-Normal
forces Of shopmen reported for work
here to-day on the Pennsylvania. Read
Ing and Baltimore & Ohio, despite the
wa!k-out called last night. The shop
zen wko quit were employed on the
.:ght trick on the Pennsylvan:a Rail
road. It is said they are asking for
the discharge o. three so<emen. At
tie Reading It was declared to-day that
cot ore Of their sAopmen had Joined
tho strike.
Freight service on TIE Read;ar vas
somewhat improved by the aid o. vol.
r.teess ssd rew employees, but there
sas bee. virtually 20 e4s.ge i. tie
:.uEbo. o. saer out.
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