Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-25
ATTEMPT To RUIN
BROTHERHOOD SEEN
"Big Four" Men Lay Blame
for Strike on "NeW
Organization"
BY the Associated Press.

! BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. April 24-Responsi-
bility for the strike of the railroad
switchmen which originated In Chi
cage was placed on "a new organisa-
ton that appears to have for it's pur-
hood of Railroad Trainmen and the
Switchmen's Union" according to a
statement issued hero tonight by rep
| resentatives of three of the "Bi e
| Four" brotherhoods.
| 1t was signed by l.. G. Griflng.
assistant grand chief. Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers: r. r. Dodge,
assistant president. brotherhood OF
Railroad Trainmen: p. ]. Mcnamara
and George X. Ward, vice presidents,
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen. These men are
assistants to the presidents of their
respective brotherhoods and are
clothed with authority. 1t was ex-
planned. similar to that Of the presi :
cases. Their Jurisdiction extends all
over the United States and Canada.
| Question Of Wage Not Involved.
| The statement was issued, the sign
| ers said, in order that there may be
| no misunderstanding regarding the
strike and to make clear the position
of the four organizations which have
| for years represented the men en-
gagged in this service.
| The question of wages was not in
volved, the statement said, but the
strike was demand for the REIN
statement of the leader OF the pro-
posed new organization.
| After the strike was instituted"
it continued, the leaders of the new
| organization then injected the wage
| question for, as we believe. the sole
purpose of deceiving the yardmen
throughout the United States in or
! DER that they might the more success
| fully promote the "one big union
idea, evidently believing that in these
strenuous times nothing would ap-
| peal SO strongly to the men as the
prospects for an increase in pay
The statement declared the necessity
for Improvement with regard to pay
was realized. but "at the same time
the officers. and large majority of
the members of these organizations
are law-abiding citizens, and there
| fore disapprove without reservation
| the nasty action of the men, who not
| only disregarded the provisions made
| by the government of the country for
dealing with such questions, but vio-
| lated the laws of the organizations as
WELL"
Regret Eject ON Public.
| The officers of the several organiza-
! items concerned continued the state
| ment, regret that the action taken by
| the men has seriously Inconvenience
| the public and plunged the men into a
situation which may result in loss of
| position and previous standing with
| the companies.
However" it added, "inasmuch as
| they left the service without authori-
ty. the action must be regarded as in
Nlaks I
organizations concerned, and makes
impossible any effective organization
effort in their behalf.
1T therefore appears that the next
step in the matter must be taken
by the men themselves, and when
| again in the service. should any
grievance exist, same can be referred
to the properly accredited committee
| of the organization to which the man
| or men having the grievance belong,
| and same can then be considered on
their merit, and under the provisions
of schedules in effect"
! Engineers to Strike.
All engineers employed by the
| Lackawanna railroad will go on
strike Monday morning. Edward A.
| Ntzhugh,, chairman Of the executive
committee of striking railroad en-
ployes in the New York district, an
lnounced tonight.
4
the engineers was reached at meet
ings last night and that the walkout
will be in sympathy with strikers to
whom the railroads have issued an
lultimatum that they can not return
to work except as new men, for
feiting seniority rights.
He also declared it probable shop
men on the Erie railroad would vote
in favor of a sympathetic strike.
Declaring that the strikers commit
tee of 100 had been double crossed
by the brotherhood chiefs in order to
get them out of Washington. Mr.. Nc
Hugh declared in statement tonight
that the men had withdrawn their
toffer to return to work if protected in
their seniority, and would settle the
strike only on terms satisfactory tc
the men.
I'VE take the stand" said the state
ment, that we will not deal through
the brotherhood chiefs. We withdraw
our proposition to return to work un-
der the conditions mentioned in our
ignored letter of yesterday. If any
settlement is reached it must come
through the men and be satisfactory
to them.
THE railroad situation in the metro.
politan district" continued McHugh
lis no nearer settlement. 1t has come
to the point where the breach has
on the various roads is fast becoming
normal.
Two hundred Of the striking EN-.
ployes of the Hudson tubes started this
afternoon to return to their jobs, but
when they found that Irving G. Hunt
president of the Trainmen's Union
and two other strike leaders were not
to be taken back. all refused to &C
to work and returned to the heaa-
quarters of the sfrikorr