Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-04-27
RAIL MEN REFUSE
TO END BIG STRIKE
NO ACTION TAKEN BY MASS
MEETING CALLED BY JOHN
GRUNAU IN CHICAGO
THREATENED WITH ARREST
Men Say That They Prefer Going to
Prison Than Back to Work Until
They Have Promise of Fulfill
ment of Their Demands

Chicago, April 24>Several thousand
striking railroad workers at a a
meeting held yesterday refused to take
action to end the unauthorized walk
out, now in its fourth week. In the
Chicago terminal district.
The meeting, called by John Grunau.
president of the outlaw Chicago
Yardmen's association. and Harold
Reading, head of the United Engine
mems association, 'to clear up the
entire situation" adjourned As min
utes after being convened with no
progress made toward settling the diff
ficulties.
Representatives of the Railroad Cen
eral Managers association and of the
government were asked to attend, but
ignored the invitation. the general
managers announcing that they would
enter into no negotiations with the in
s%urgents.
Grunau, who was released from Jail
at Joliet, ILL.,, last Wednesday, was
greeted with a roar of applause as he
stepped on the platform. An Ameri-
can flag was produced and draped
around his neck. He left it there as
he spoke.
Il called this meeting to help
s%traighten out this tangle," Grunau
said. 1--WE would not be good citizens
if we refused to take every step pos
sible to end the strike.
Il am a loyal American citizen and
so are all of you. We have not vio-
lated the law; we do not want to vio-
the law. We have conducted this strike
in an orderly manner and we will per-
NIT no violence of any kind.
at is up to you men to decide when
this strike Is to end. You are the
only one who can decide that ques-
ton"
Grunau asked if representatives OF
the General Managers association, the
government or Judge X. M. Lands,
who had been invited to represent
the public, were present, but there was
no response.
Ben DOlan, a representative of the
United ~Enginemen, followed Grunau.
eff we can return without loss of
dignity, without loss of our seniority
rights, and if our organization is rec
ognized by the railroads and our sal
airy demands are granted, we will GO
back to work at once" he said.
The railroads announced yesterday
that conditions in the Chicago district
were SO per cent of normal.
New York, April 24.ARefusal of the
railroad heads to modify their ultima.
tum to the strikers and the equal de-
termination of the latter to hold out
for seniority rights, last night virtual
ly destroyed all hope of an early an(
complete settlement of the railroad la
Dor difficulties in the metropolitan dis
trict.
Officials said passenger service vir
tually has been restored to normal
that freight service was improving
steadily and that in a few days the!
expect all the difficulties will be set
tied.
Cleveland, Ohio, April 24.-Fivt
hundred striking railroad switchmeI
at a mass meeting yesterday agreed
unanimously to go to Jail rather thar
return to work after officials of thu
department of justice told the strik'
leaders to notify the men that all o
the approximately 1900 striker
would be arrested If they did not re
turn to work by this morning. Thi
was after John Sawken, department o
justice agent, who attended the meet
ing, had demanded that the strikers
leaders order the men to return t
work or themselves go to jail.
IT have just been informed by tn
department of justice representative
that every man OF us will go to jai
unless we go back to work" said f. J
O'Rourke, president Of the yardmen'
association, after a conference wit
Sawken.
"Every man who wishes to avoi
arrest by returning to his job wi
kindly rise and leave the room"
Not a man moved.
"Every man who chooses prise
bars to starvation wages win rise,
O'Rourke said.
The 500 men rose in a body, chez
ing and shouting.
"We will all go to jail" they shou
ed as their leaders tried in vain I
quiet them. The meeting then az