The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-15
Federal Raids Are Nation Wide
Many Arrests Expected.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IMPROVE
More Switchmen Are Back on
the Jobs Today.
Leaders in New York Making
Overtures for Peace.
(Er the United Press.y

by the strike of switchmen, yardmen
and firemen. was reported gradually
being brought back to normal thruout
the country today. Movement of
freight was being resumed in the west,
but was still tied up in the east
Officials OF the railroad brother
hoods, who have fought the unauthor-
ized walkout declared the strike was
broken definitely.
While the men were reported re-
turning to work in large numbers in
some middle western cities, there were
no important defections from the
ranks of strikers in eastern districts.
Government officials who have been
in touch with the strike situation to-
day believed the men who had walked
out would return to their jobs as a
result of exposure of alleged I. W. w.
leadership of the strike by Attorney
General Palmer. They believed the
evidence Palmer made public would
convince the strikers they had been
misled.
Strikers at Chicago, headquarters OF
the leaders of the unauthorized strike,
expressed indignation at Palmer S
charges. William Haywood, secre-
tary of the I. W. ". organization. de-
MED the charge. altho saying the I.
W. w. approved the walkout.
Army officers notified Pennsylvania
railroad officials that they would send
soldiers to Jersey City to move freight
consigned to the~army and that SOL
diers also will man cars on which
bodies of soldiers recently brought to
Hoboken from overseas will be sent
to their homes.
In the far and central west condi-
tions were reported returning to nor
NAL, while in the middle west and
east railroad officials professed to see
a marked Improvement in passenger
service, altho admitting that freight
was still badly crippled.
Radical Strikers Arrested.
Chicago, April 1S.-The United
States government struck today at the
radical element backing the OUTLAW
railroad strike which resulted in the
partial paralyzation of the nations in
ters with starvation.
Deputy United States marshals. act
ing on instructions of United States
District Attorney Clyne, arrested six
teen of the strikers leaders here and
expected to take fifteen more into GUS
tody this afternoon.
The men arrested included John
Grunau. president of the Chicago
Yardmen's association. the original
"outlaw" union. Grunau called the
first strike.
The warrants charged violation OF
the Lever law, and officials said crimi-
nal prosecution will be sought.
Is General Roundup.
United States Commissioner Lewis
F. Mason, son of Congressman Mason
OF Illinois, issued the warrants and the
deputies are out to make the arrests
in taxicabs. Two hundred additional
warrants. it was said. will be issued
later.
Secret service agents. il was learned,
planned to attend meetings of strikers
thTuout the day and arrest leaders as
they appeared.
The government forces were in
charge OF Assistant Attorney General
Mitchell of Washington.
Among the warrants issue1 but not
vet served is one for Elmer Bidwell,
who was named yesterday by Attor-
ney General Palmer as having re-
placed Grunau as leader of the
strikers here. Both Bidwell and
Grunau deny that the latter has been
displaced or that Bidwen is taking
any part in directing the strike.
Raids Nation Wide.
Washington, April 15.-Arrest of
leaders of the OUTLAW" railroad
strike may be expected in many cities
before night c. B. Ames. assistant at
torney general. indicated today, fol-
lowing the news that Chicago leaders
had been taken into custody.
All the arrests probably will be
made under the criminal section of the
Lever act, and the number may reach
more than fifty, 1t was believed here.
Meanwhile. the senate was in exec
utive session onsidering confirmation
or the railroad labor board, action on
which was postponed yesterday.
Strike Dying in West.
Chicago. April 15.-Reports from
rail centers in the central west and
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