New-York tribune., 1920-04-13

Brotherhood of Trainmen, and Timothy
Shea, first vice-president of the
Brother rhood Of Locomotive Engineers
and Firemen, at the Hotel Pennsyl-
vania yesterday.
1t was the consensus of opinion of
the brotherhood representatives and
Mr.. Walber that the strike would
burn itself CUT
The conference was held at the Grand
Central Terminal. The meeting with
the railroads labor experts followed
day of missionary work on the part
fthe brotherhood leaders among the
strikers in the Jersey terminal district
Easing Up in West
Mr.. Walber announced after the con-
ference that he had received informa-
tion that the strike was easing up
around Chicago, indianapolis, Columbus
and other Western points, but re-
mained unchanged. AS to the local sit
uation, he said, some men went out
to- day and some returned to work,
making the situation unchanged.
Mr. Walber declared that the surpris-
ing part of the strike is the fact that
men who are regarded as conservative
nave become lmpregnated with radical
ism. He asserted, "The strike is one
fostered purely by radical influence"
He said that the brotherhood leaders
locally tried their uest to have the
men ignore the radical agitators and
respect their contract, but that these
brotherhood leaders and the railroad
officials have agreed to cooperate in
an endeavor to settle the strike. He
characterized the situation as "mob
movement" and asserted that it is
bound to break How soon, he would
not venture to predict
This was the first conference since
the advent of the strike held officially
between the brotherhoods and railroad
representatives.
La Guardia Makes Speech
Fiorello H. La Guardia, President of
the Board of Aldermen, spoke at a
meeting of the striking yardmen at
McGuire's Hall in the Bronx, telling
them of the great distress they would
bring upon the public if they stood out,
and suggesting that they submit their
grievances to their regular brother
hood heads
How long the strikers can hold out
is another question. Since they are
unorganized, it is presumed they have
no funds except their personal savings.
have large funds to fight their battle,
the trainmen alone having reserve
fund of almost 100000. The loconlo-
tive engineers and fremen have a
much larger fund, reaching into the
millions, it is said.
The local situation was further COM
plicated by the report from Ellis Island
that there are 10 more accommodate
tions for immigrants. More than 2,200
men and women were said to have
been quartered there yesterday, of
,cn,~ h0, {n %o1,o
trains for the West, but were detained
by the disrupted service on the rail
roads.
Sundays and yesterdays shipping
arrivals brought $500 more immi-
grants and the supc. = tendent had to
refuse to accept them for lack Of
space.
The immigration officials are at a
loss to know what to do with these un-
fortanates, while the shipping inter
ests, who are compelled to keep them
aboard their vessels, are almost des-
perate.
Railroads Short of Coal
While the coal situation is hourly
growing more acute for the "avcrage
man. and the big industries of the
country because Of the crippling of the
railroad service running from the coal
fields and the closing down of the
local distributing points at Port Read
ing and Perth Amboy. it was reported
that the railroads, in addition to their
disrupted transportation services, are
already in bad plight
The Pennsylvania and Lehigh COM
panies say they have hardly any coal
on hand, while the same conditions
are said to exist at the Lackawanna and
Eric yards. The Long Island is in
modify and announces that unless shin
ments are brought to it quickly
there will be d further decrease in the
operation schedules.
While yardmen, switchmen. brake
men and other railroad workers con-
tlnued to drOn awav at ,a rinnr .o;,. L.