The Pensacola journal., 1920-04-10
The Present Widespread
Walkout of Switch
men Was Originated
to Destroy Brother
hoods 1t Is Charged.

Cleveland, April 9-Chiefs of four
big railroad brotherhoods issued a
statement here tonight saying the
present strike OF switchmen was or
iginated to destroy the Brotherhood
Of Railroad Trainmen and the Switch
mems Union of North America and
that the wage demand was later in
jected to deceive yardmen throughout
the country and promote zone big
union" idea
Washington, April Virtually
admitting the strike of railroad train
men has got beyond control of union
officials President Lee of the Brother
hood of Railroad Trainmen, today
teleeraphed Representative Cooper
Republican of Ohio, asking whether
the present laws apply to renegade
organizations or those melting illegal
strikes"
Cooper, who is a member of the
trainmen's union, took the matter up
with the Department of Justice which
is said to be watching the situation
but had no statement to make now
Meanwhile the senate authorized the
Interstate Commerce Committee to in
vestigate all strikes not sanctioned
by responsible officers of unions. The
investigation will begin Tuesday.
New York. April s.-The first full
day of the unauthorized railroad
switchmen's strike which swept over
New York last night with such sud
deness as to threaten serious food
shortage, brought the announcement
of freight embargoes tonight on every
commodity except milk.
III IN, he
authorized strike of switchmen and
enginemen at Chicago where il started
nine days ago with subsequent spread
to number of railroad centers, was
announced today by Vice President
Whitney, of the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Trainmen.
Strikers from the Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad were said to
have told Whitney they would vote
within twenty-four hours on return
ing. Brotherhood officers said num-
Der of strikers returned today but
strike leaders said it would be con-
tinued until a new union is completed.
Railroad managers generally said
they did not know what the strike is
about as no leaders had come forward
and no demands have been made.
Brotherhood leaders said ii would
soon be broken, while strikers claimed
it would spread tomorrow to all lines
using Jersey and New York terminals
and Hudson tubes which carry a thou
sand commuters daily.
The Press c m m I e'' whose
names were not divulged announced
tonight that the men have simply
taken matters into their own hands.
This is spontaneous mass action" it
was announced. A newspaper man
triI
beaten, searched and his notes taken
before he was put out. The vigilance
committee patrolled adjacent streets
and warned strikers not to talk to
newspaper men.
Chicago, April g. One switchman
was shot and several slugged at meet
ings of the striking railroad men last
night police learned today. John
Krinz, a striker who proposed that
the men return to work was shot, it
was reported. He was spirited away
in an automobile by friends. Trouble
broke out at two meetings of the new
~ formed Chicago Yardmen's Associa-
ton when members suggested a re-
turn to the ranks of the established
brotherhoods.
Sabotage was advocated by one of
the speakers, f. c. Estey. C. Y. A.
organizer who participated in the
Gary steel strike and several labor
disturbances here. They call me a
reber' Estey told the strikers. I'm
proud to be a rebel, In 1910 1 had
charge of a railroad strike in Mime
apolis and st. Paul. The men all went
out and stayed out.
II went down TO the l. w. w. head
quarters and got some help.
Then one day four passenger trans
we're wrecked. The next day seven
freight trains were wrecked. Then We
sent word to the railroads that if they
didn't come across we would tear
down the roundhouse. They didn't
answer-we did. The round helse was
torn down.
.sThen the railroads begged foi
mercy and asked to meet u.s. We told
them to come 10 us. There was 9
meeting. The union drew up con-
tract an dthe railroad refused it. The
next day we blew up bridge Tha'
night an ice jam formed in the river
and tore down the rest of the bridge
so they don't know TO this day whe
did the job. But we won the strike