Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-23
STRIKERS APPEAL TO
THE R. R. MANAGERS
To TAKE THEM BACK
Insurgents at New York Want
Strike Ended, "In the
Public Interest"
CHICAGO LEADER WILL
URGE MEN TO RESUME
By Associated Press to Every Evening

BY Associated Press To Every Evening
New York, April %. 2. 30 p. m.
Railroad managers today fatty rejected
direct appeal of strikers IN the New
York district that they be restored 20
duty with full seniority rights and
the strike be settled 'in the public
interest"
New York, April 23--Striking railroad
workers in the New York district appealed
directly TO the railroad managers today
for restoration to duty and settlement Of
the strike "in the public interest.
Edward McHugh, chairman Of the
executive committee of the strikers sent
a letter by messenger TO J. J. Mantell,
chairman of the general managers asso-
citation, declaring the public demands
the immediate resumption of railway
traffic and we submit for your approval
the following:
''Our immediate restoration 10 duty
without discrimination and with full
seniority rights. in order to relieve the
wheels of industry.
The letter recalled the strikers re-
quest for extension Of the managers
ultimatum which reserved the right to
reject applicants for Unemployment who
had proved "unfitness for service and
added.
eve made this request with the fact
in view that the public which has been
innocently dragged into this controversy
should have due consideration.
The men voted yesterday, according
10 +. A. McHugh, their leader, 10 remain
out until the railroad board had acted on
demands for q general wage increase.
This may take several months.
The railroad managers met McHugh )
challenge for q next move by redoub-
ling their efforts TO hire new men 10 replace
the strikers and relterating their determine
ton TO take strikers back only as new
employees with loss Of their seniority rights.
The Erie railroad emphasized this point
yesterday by refusing 10 take back on
their old basis 300 men who applied IN a
body for reinstatement.
Movements OF freight continued to
improve today according TO J. j. Mantell,
spokesman for the managers, and he
predicted that the strike would have
''hurTed itself out" by the end of the week.
Now this body feels that it has tried
to do its part toward bringing this con-
troversy 10 an early settlement and feels
il is the duty OF the general managers ot the
various properties Of the managers as
sociation to recede in their attitude and
take into consideration the Inconvenience
OF the public and the probability Of 4 food
shortage.
While a thousand strikers were meet
ing in Jersey City, from where McEfugh
dispatched the appeal, railroad officials
announced places Of the outlaws grad
ually were being filed by return Of old
employees and by employment of . new
men.
The Erie railroad, which was severely
crippled by the strike, reported forty per
cent of its striking employees had re-
turned within the last three days and 20
per cent of the places of men remaining out
had been filed by new men who are doing
work of iremen.
Other roads reported continued inn
provement in freight service and asserted
passenger service was virtually normal
with many suburban trains still being
operated by volunteers.
Pittsburg, Pa, April 23-Railroad
managers today reported that passenger
traffic on all roads entering the city was
normal, and freight service had improved
over night due to the return of striking
yardmen and the employment of new men
to take the places OF strikers who bad been
dropped from the pay rolls when they
failed to return TO work yesterday.