The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-15
FOSTER ENGAGED IN ATTEMPTS ID
 EXPAND WALK0UT
Whole Story of Strike Re- lated at Cabinet Meeting and Decision Reached
 to Seek Solution
By A.sselatsd Pros.

partment of justice investiga- Ktors report that evidence in their possession proves that William z. Foster, leader of the recent steel strike, is the prime mover behind the "out- Jaw railroad strike.
 The government let this be known tonight. feeling that when the strik- CTS learn what influences are behind the movement they will align them selves with their recognized crgani- zations.
 Action by the government in the direction of possession of strike leaders therefore, will be held in abeyance pending the expected re- nctf0n among the strikers re-
 ceipt of information showing the directing impulse of the strike agi- tation.
 The evidence in the hands of At torney General Palmer show that Poster was present at union meet. ags which were adjourned to meet in other halls, not as organizations but as individuals. Mir. Palmer also said that Carl Pierson and A. F. Reese, both of whom the departments investi- gators have placed in the category with Foster, were engaged in at tempts to expand the strike and were definitely connected with planning it.. Both began this work in Chicago, MT. Palmer said.
 As this phase of the situation became known, President Wilson met his cabi net for the first time since last Au- gust. The whole story of the strike ava -elated and, it " Understood. a 's decision was then shed to seek a solution through the publication of tho motives behind the walkout. the ! strikers being assured at the same tine of early consideration Of any wage demands they may have by the railway labor board
 This must not be construed to mean the government has adopted policy of hands off, 1t was said, but rather that officials believed the time has not arrived for direct governmental action. The Senate did not confirm today the nominations to the labor board. They were considered in executive ses- sion and the Presidents selections brought sharp criticism in some cases. it was understood Leaders asserted tonight they probably would be con- firrned with little. delay unless definite ground for opposition developed from inquiries some senators were making.
 Mir. Palmer made public evidence of plans prepared by Foster and his adherents to disrupt the foAr great brotherhoods and to organize all rail workers into one union. Seized documents also revealed similar course was to have been followed in various other indus tries where crafts aligned with the American Federation of Labor would be urged to reorEanixe der one name.
 we have positive proof of the plans for this expansion, MT. Palmer said. ~I know the dates fixed for nation wide strikes in other industries and our investigators have discovered that the fermentation of these outbursts has gone on exactly as in the railroad strike.s
 The whole programme one phase of the plans of the Russian radicals, <sdesigned nt the ultimate capture of industry, the overthrow of government and the setting up of dictatorship like that In cha otic Russia.- MT. Palmer said.
 workers were being led unwit-
 tinxiy into the trap set for them,
 he added, through the Industrial Workers of the World. The conn.,
 
 Lenine and Trotzky---was attack
 ing America's industrial life.
 INTERCEPT RUSSIAN COURIER Federal agents had intercepted a courier from Russia March | he said, bearing message to American locals of the communists, detailing methods of organizing class war.
 The radicals were instructed to di- rect their utmost efforts towards drawing the proletarian masses into the pathway of revolution"
 The organizations first goal,
 the messages said. must he the
 wrecking of the American Fedora tion of Labor and 1t ought to es-
 tablish direct and close relation ship with the I. W. w. and the
 ~one big uniOns of Canada. The !.
 w. w.. the word continued. was to
 be the tool employed. and 1t was
 to establish the basis for uniting
 alI unions under the one big union
 in idea.
 As a result of these disclosures the gov ernnent has broadened it's investigations agitators in all labor organizations are under surveillance; funds used are closely watched and all clues to the source of the financial support are being followed. Following the collapse of the steel strike Mr. Palmer said: Foster. Pierson, Reese and others of their associates of the revolutionary parties engaged in the endeavor to promote the present strike Lists of all railroad men who were members of the communist or communist labor parties were sought he said. s'The names of all railroad workers who are opposed to the present management of the four brotherhoods also were col- lected Meetings were held in hotels in New York and Chicago and other cities, where all of the plans were laid
 Tho basic agitation of these leaders was the destruction of the railroad broth erhcods, the removal of their leaders and the creation of the one big union idea
 GRUNAU MISSED ~At first it was planned that the I. w. ". should not figure publicly in the strike, but John Grunau, leader in Chi cago, deviated from the original plans and allowed the men to split the strik- CTS into four separate organizations.
 This caused some dissension which has resulted in the movement for the one biz union. Several conferences were held al
 eOs.thuea .. Psse Fe-rtss~,