Arizona republican., 1920-04-17
First Big Breok In Str1ke Rdnks
 Is Seen In East
Republican A. P. Leased wIrel

Outward indications point to an early end of the nation wide railroad strike.
 The first big break in the strikers ranks in the east. their last remaining stronghold. came yesterday when 500 Pennsylvania firemen and enginemen at Baltimore voted to go back to work. Similar action by the train mems brotherhood there was reported by it's president, although at a meet ing last night in Baltimore trainmen n declared they had voted to remain out. even at the risk of being expelled from the unions.
 Eastern railways continued to report increasing defections in the strikers ranks, but these were disputed by strike leaders, who declared the main body of their men was still holding firm. Continued improvement also was reported by the roads of the mid dle and far west.
 Switchmen at Toledo. Ohio, voted to return to work, pending settle ment of their grievances by the labor board. The railroads there will give their answer today.
 Railroads in all sections of the coun- try reported that passenger service was nearly normal, while freight service began, was rapidly being resumed.
 Strikes Collapse Believed Near
 NEW YORK. April 16.-The collapse of the outlaw" railroad strike. which is entering its second week here, is be- lieyed to be near tonight by railroad officials, who supported this opinion with statements of greatly improved passenger and freight service on all roads into New York.
 Further disintegration in the strikers ranks was reported late to- day following a meeting in Jersey City. The attendance was about half the size of yesterdays and was interpreted by railroad managers as due to a realization on the part of the strikers that the, fight has been lost. Many men were reported to have hastened to take advantage of the provisions of the railroads ultimatum which ex- pireS at noon Saturday.
 Federal Probe Starts
 A federal grand jury investigation of the strike was begun in New Jersey today. Thirty subpoenas were issued at Trenton for the appearance of strike leaders before the grand jury in Newark next Monday. Particular at tention would be paid, 1t was said, to the delay caused to mail and food trains.
 Packages of pamphlets signed Cen tral Revolutionary Council of Ameri- ca" and addressed to railway men and port workers" appealing to them to 'tie up the whole system and show your mass power were turned over to the Jersey City police by a commit tee of strikers. They said an uniden- tified person had left them at the hall where the strikers held the meeting. Another package was surrendered by an official of the Railway Port and Terminal Workers union.
 Cleveland Strikers Hold Firm
 CLEVELAND. April 16.-In spite of the ultimatum issued by the railroad General Managers association of New York, giving striking members of the railroad brotherhoods until noon to- morrow to return to work. 800 mem bers of Lake Front Lodge No. 260, of Railroad Trainmen, employed in the local yards of the lines. at a meeting today voted 70 remain on strike.
 The three transportation brother hood chiefs here-W. G. Lee of the trainmen; W. $. Stone of the engineers and w. $. Carter of the firemen-were in conference for three hours today the ultimatum of the gen eral managers.
 The three leaders framed their an swer to the ultimatum and telegraphed 1t late today. They would not divulge the nature of the reply.