The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-13
GOVERNMENT MARKS TIME
 SEEKS MORE INFORMATION

Washington, April 12.-Determina- ton of the governments course in the railroad strike crisis tonight awaited further information from field agents Of the department of justice,
 Attorney General Palmer, after nu- merous conferences with government officials said decision might be reached tomorrow. adding that the .'governmept would not shirk It's re- sponsibility"
 Meanwhile official announce
 ment was made tonight at the
 White House that President Will
 son would send to the Senate to-
 morrow the names of nine mem
 bers of the railway labor board
 created by the transportation act.
 The nomination had been delayed,
 it was added. by time taken in
 selecting representatives of the
 public on the board to insure get
 ting. inc right men for the place.
 The men selected for the pubic
 group had not siGnificd tonight
 their willingness to act. It wns
 said.
 Framers of the transportation act, in- cluding Chairman Cummins of the sem ate interstate commerce committee, were firm in the opinion that the labor board would prove an effective agency to deal with the present railway crisis For that reason Senator Cummins' com mittee deferred action on proposals fof a congressional inquiry into the strike, POSTAL DEPARTMENT BUSY
 Independent of either the inyosfi-
 gation by the department of justice
 or the creation of labor board, the
 government entered the strike site
 nation directly today through or
 dcrs sent by inc pOstofficc depart
 Inent to it's inspectors and railway
 mail officials throughout the conn
 try for prompt reports on any ob-
 struction or delay of the mails.
 The department of justice wouid he
 asked for immediate prosecutions
 under statutes governinE mall
 transportation, the tcIeErams
 stated.
 Delay in formulating a programme for government action under the Lever food control act to meet the strike crisis was said by department of Jus flee officials to be due to a desire for fuller knowledge as to the agencies which caused the unauthorized walk outs.
 Many official reports from strike
 eenters have indicated activity or
 the Industrial Workers of the
 World in connection with the rail-
 StfuaUOu anu S"f" '.
 was proposed to determine defi-
 niteiy whether this any other orr
 ganixation was carrying out il pro-
 gramme that would bring it within
 reach of federal statutes.
 Not only 1t was said. would sucn ac- tivity be dealt with summarily If the fact5 warranted legal proceedings put steps would be taken to prevent ex- tension of the unrest among railway men to any other industry.
 In discussing the attitude of the gov ernment in the crisis, MT. Palmer de- c1ared that if federal action was taken. the government would not en- ter the controversy as supporter oi either the strikers or the railroad com paries It's action. he said. would be governed entirely by its responsibility 10 the people 'tby whom the govern rneot was created and whom 1t was to serve.'
 NO INJUNCTION CONSIDERED II was indicated again today that the department might employ criminal stat utes if it decided on legal proceedings Injunction proceedings. similar to those in the bituminous coal strike, were no being considered. it was said, because ol the peculiar conditions under which in- teryenticn must take place if it is or dered.
 Agents of the department reported I w. W. fermentation in score of troubled centers. officials declared. They were said also to have revealed that members of that organization were offering fn2n- cial as we'll as moral support to the cause of the strikers. but the extent of thi: aid was rot clear.
 Officials also had under consideration F. .easures for feeding communities whict might be cut off by the strike. War de partr1ent stores were said to be loeatst in half dozen large cities and. should food conditions necessitate. could b' drawn.
 The food shortages had not reached stass tonight where outside help wa reseesarv. but il served to bring the gov c-mnent face tc face with the problem 0 soaring prices. Fedora district attor neys and field a9enfS were instructed q
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