Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-04-20
GENE RAJ WOOD To
RETURN To DUTY
Gives Up His Campaign Tour in
Strike Crisis.
SITUATION GROWS SERIOUS
Organizer and Chief of Outlaw Yard
mems Association Regulates Au-
thorIty-Won't Order Men Back
to Work-only Spokesman.

Chicago, April 14.-Prompt action
by the federal government in support
of its ultimatum to the rebel switch
men, whose Illegal strike has tied
up local freight traffic for the last ten
days, was seen as Maj. Gen. Wood
gave up his presidential campaign to
take command of central department
troops.
General Wood made the announce
ment at breakfast rendered him at
the City club in Boston. He said:
"The situation of growing serious
ness in the country is such that ]
feel it my duty to give up my leave
and to return to my post Of command
in Chicago. The situation is not one
which allows personal considerations
to enter into the matter in the least"
The. general is on a twO-months'
leave which was granted him by the
war department March 20.
He left for Chicago at As p. m.
Grunau Denies Authority.
A serious situation was reported in
the ranks of the insurgents. John
Grunau organizer and leader of the
Chicago Yardmens' association, the
outlaw union, repudiated all his au-
thority in the organization and stated
that the men would kill him if he
attempted to order them back t" work.
He said that he was merely spokes-
man" for the men and that he would
rather face a rifle squad than at
tempt to tell them to end their walk
out"
Grunau's position put the insurgent
faction in quandary. If Grunau has
withdrawn, it was said, there is no
leadership in the association.
According to the terms of the gov
ernment's ultimatum of Monday, the
rebels switchmen's union theoretical
ly ceased to exist.
1t was announced that the men
would not be allowed to hold further
meetings and that criminal action
would follow unless they stood aside
and allowed the railroads to fill their
places.
Actually conditions in the yards re-
manned much as they were before.
Several roads, aided by office men and
union strikebreakers, were operating
at close to 100 per cent of normal.
Much congestion was evident in
some of the yards, however, and there
was no disposition on the part of the
outlaws to take advantage of the
terms of grace given them by the
government and return to work.
Wood Surprises Washington.
Washington, April 14-Advices from
Boston to the effect that Gen. Leonard
Wood had determined to cut short his
leave of absence from the war depart
ment and return to his military post in
Chicago aroused a variety of COM
ment here.
Officials of the war department were
puzzled to account for the announce
ment. 1t was stated positively that
there had been no action by the depart
ment to cancel the leave of absence
which Secretary Baker granted Gen
eral Wood some months ago and that
no order had been issued to recall him
from his campaign tour and place him
in command at his headquarters. On
the contrary, officials secuted the idea
that there was anything in the strike
situation which contemplated use of
the military forces in any such manner
as General Woods peremptory return
to duty might seem to indicate.
1t was stated at the war depart
ment, in jocular fashion, that this was
the first instance in history where an
officer on leave of absence voluntarily
abbreviated that leave by returning to
duty prior to the time specified when
the leave was granted.