The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-04-09
CLAIM go
PER CENT OF
YARDMEN
New Organization Said to be
80 Per Cent Strong; Con
ditions Brighten, Say
r. r. Officials.

That the newly organized Chicago
Yardmen's Association now embraces
SO per cent. Of the yardmen employed
by railroads in the Calumet district is
the claim made officials Of the union
| in Hammond today. Rapid progress
/ is also being made in the organization
Of locals CT the American Ensinemen's
Union with which former members Of
the Brotherhood OF Locomotive Eng1n-
GERS are affiliating.
we now have $50 members IN our
local OF the Yardmen's Association. p
said c. Fresh president OF Local 8
which has headquarters IN Hammond
There are three more locals in the
Calumet district added Mr.. Fresh.
and you can fgue that We are now ss
per cent. strong"
Remember though. ~ are not On
strike said the union president
You can say that We are on a little
vacation or something like that, but
We are not on strike"
Many men are now wearing the
buttons OF the A. I. L. and organic
eFs are working feverishly in the dis-
trict. It is expected that enough will
have affiliated soon so that regular
meetings can be held and onicers el-
ected.
n. r. MEN HOPEFUL
Gradual Frightening or conditions
brought on by the walkout was re-
ported today from railroad official
circles. No attempt is made by them 70
forecast how long it Will take TO bring
conditions back TO normal again but
they say that from the Improvement
shown today. the blackstone Of the
strike ig at least beginning to bend.
Tho Illinois Central at Chicago. re
ported thirty-seven crews working this
morning but IN many other Yards
enough men had been mustered 10
handle some freight. generally the
peris sha'oie stun only. The Erie has
three more crews working to6av bur
the transfer yards OF the Calumet reg
ion have been making little effort 70
force the issue. AS the storm broke
in Chicago, which still remains the
center Of action. railroad officials are
inclined e hght out the battle in Chi
cago and the roads having yards in the
outlying districts are awaiting the our
come or the fight.
Through lines are bringing men "a
-he strike center from distant points
on their systems to take over the work
of the men who walked cut and the
brotherhoods are doing the best thev
can TO live up to their agreements with
the companies. AS the i H B. has
nc outside line to draw upon Il Is HIT
particularly hard nv the walkorit and
is merely biding its time until the al
far IS settled. one more crew was
working on the 7 H b yards this
morning than yesterday
TIE yardmen who walked out have
been instructed by their leaders to
lay Off OF the word strike" IN
speaking Of their present unenplov- 1
ment- They are t. use the word
gut henceforth, IT IS said this pre- |
caution was taken In an effort to evade
the Fsch-Cummins act which outlines |
the manner IN which disarreements /
between labor and employers shall De
The meeting place % the vardrnen |
has been changed q number Of times |
since the first q the week Today !
they held their meetings. N Unity Hall /
but beginning tomorrow they will as
s sen1ble IN 8 store room at the corner o4 |
State and State Line streets IN West
Hanina ond Numerous speeches are
made ard the men are kept in touch |
with the strike situation IN Chicago /
and other cities q the country BY tele-
graphic bulletins. Announcements
OF new Talkouts sre greeted with
much enthusiasm
The stories are recounted Of several
5eIeEations ot railroad men. shipped
here to break the strike, being met by
cf the strikers ana
converted 1t IS said that many Of
he strikes breaking out at other plac-
IS are due to the missionary work of
-hese converts who returned Il, their
3wn homes and spread the gospel Of
he Chicago yardmen.
One or the first effects Of the strike
n Hammond hcrnes to be noticed Is
he decrease in the sugar supply. AL
hough trucks are bringing it into the
,ity from the big central warehouses
t IS said the supply IS dwindllng down
md ALREADY the stores are placing the
limits on purchases. A number had
United customers to two pounds yes
erday and were expecting to drop TO
me pound today.
shortage OF coal Is also looming
nd plants which are deepndant upon
egular shipments OF materials have
lowed down and are threatened with
omplete shutdown within a short
inc