Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-12
ALL RA|LROADS
WERE REPRESENTED
Freight and Passenger Engineers,
Firenen, Conductors and
Brakemen.
ALL TRAINS WERE
RUNNING TODAY
Brotherhood Heads Try to Pre-
vent the Men Going
on Strike.
TRUCK LINES PLANNED
TRUCK LINES PLANNED

local railroad trainmen, held at 5O4 Mar
ket street. at | O'Clock this afternoon. IT
was announced that the men had voted
100 per cent to refuse TO continue at
work after 1l.30 o'clock tonight. The
meeting was attended by men from all
the local railroads.
In doing this the men admitted that
they had completely ignored the requests
Of the leaders of the brotherhoods. but the
trainmen also admitted that the chiefs OF
the brotherhoods knew what the men had
in their minds and that this action was
being taken to avert legal action that
would follow If they voted TO strike.
The meeting, which lsated all the
morning, was one of the most heated that
the trainmen have ever held. Representa-
lives of the brotherhood men IN Philadel-
phia who are on strike came TO this city
and, according 10 union leaders, agitated
he local men TO high pitch some of the
,tatements and addresses of the speakers
,eing shouted at the top Of their voices.
The men involved are passenger and
freight engineers, conductors. hremen and
brakemen, also yard men. They say
every wheel will stop at ll.30 tonight
when the draw will be pulled.
A committee was appointed to go to
Philadelphia this afternoon and learn
conditions there and report back tonight
At a meeting to be held in Irish-AInerican
hall. This afternoon two other meetings
viii be held One at 504 Market street
for the trainmen and another at Eden
hall when the engineers and firemen Will
discuss the situation. The shipment will
meet tonight at Irish-American Hall to
decide what they will do.
According to information gwen TO this
paper by representatives OF the tralnmen
who attended the meeting this morning,
il Is the idea and plan OF the men 10 form
aew unions and present their demands for
increased wages TO the railroad heads.
II. was admitted that that was the only
Nay in which they could proceed without
violating the law. They assert that the
lnion heads cannot control the money
hat is stored away in banks for strike or
inv other purposes and that they can,
through legal action. obtain this money
when they need it.
The railroads, according TO the agree
nent signed by the men and railroads
must give their employees thirty days notice
before terminating or breaking the
contract. The trainTnen who are now re-
signing say that they have given the
railroads two years notice that they want
ed more money and one Of them stated
that their chiefs knew that the men were
going 10 go out
Some of the trainmen told Every
Evening that they would notify the rail-
roads at II o'clock tonight what their In
tention was and would ask what they
wanted done with engines and trains.
Union leaders, after. this mornings
meeting, admitted that the men in large
majority wanted to strike, but said they
would not permit a vote to be taken at
any meeting over which they presided.
They would not admit that such strike
vote mad been taken.
Appeals OF the leaders TO. the men TO
remain at work were not needed. The
number that attended meetings last night
and today totalled close 10 600
The union leaders here presented the
following telegram for the consideration
of The meeting this morning from c. r.
Musser, general chairman Of the train
men. 4 copy of the telegram follows:
''N. p. Fuhr, GIG East Twenty-second
street, Wilmington, Del.
Buffalo, y. y, April l0.--To the
officers and members of the Brotherhood
of Railway Trainmen employed on the
Pennsylvania railroad system:
'As YOU no doubt know. there started
at Chicago some week or ten days ago q
strike OF yard men, which was in yio-
lation of the laws Of the Brotherhood
This strike was called by a so-called strike
leader named John Crunau, who was an
expelled member of the Brotherhood and
who for personal reasons became dis
gruntled with the Brotherhood and was
able TO convince certain yardmeD that
they were agreed to the extent that they
should leave the service of the company
By press reports, you no doubt have
learned that the action of Gruneau and
the clements which have followed him
have been condemned by our organiza-
tIon.
we have always upheld our contract
with the railroad company and it is there
fore necessary at this time for you. the
representative men Of the Brotherhood,
to lend your support in maintaining our
contract. At the present time | am in
Buffalo G. ". Moore, secretary, is in
New York, and Vice Chairman G G.
Davis is IN PIttsburg handling the situa-
ton at that point. As local chairmcn who
receive this message, ! urge upon you
the necessity Of lending your full support
IN cooperation with the company 10
maintaining the regularity Of the service.
The Brotherhood has responsibility
~ tbls time that requires you as repre-
sentative men to assert your leadership
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