Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-11

tice officers were spying on their
meetings"
IT have just returned from a con-
ference with Mr.. Clyne," Grunau said,
"and have found that secret service
men have been watching our move
ments for the last week.
There probably are a large num-
Der Of government agents here and
we might as well dismiss the
meeting"
1000 Strike in Cleveland.
CLEVELAND, Ohio. April 10.-Two
thousand switchmen and yardmen on
the nine railroads in the Cleveland
district went on strike this afternoon
when the "insurgent" body. organ
lied as the Cleveland Yardmen's AS
ISOLATION and including switchmen and
tenders, enginemen and yardmen. quit
work in defiance of official declara-
lions from the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Trainmen and the SWitchmen'
Union of North America that the
walkout was illegal.
At a meeting. adjourned at noon.
organization was effected. temporary
officers were elected and an almost
unanimous vote was polled In favor of
striking at pm. if their demands for
increased wages were not Immediately
granted.
Promptly at that hour 100 switch
men and yardmen employed by the
New York Central lines quit and were
followed by the men on several other
roads.
Eight hundred members Of the newly
formed Cleveland Yardmen's Associa-
ton held a meeting tonight and decided
to furnish crews to handle all mail, milk
tv,, oil dc n
ermen, signalmen and flagmen were or
dered to remain at work to help handle
these trains.
Conservative estimates tonight place
the number at 1000 actually on strike
and 5000 more affected.
The men left their work quietly.
many locomotives being left on sidings
and the fires banked. When the night
crews reported for duty they looked
over the stalled engines and returned
to their homes or went to one OF the
four meetings scheduled for tonight.
The walkout isolates Cleveland from
the rest Of the world, so far as food
supplies and Industrial materials are
concerned. Absolutely no freight moved
in Cleveland yards following the walk
out.
The strikers made no provisions for
handling passenger trains, but early
this evening no interference with pas
reported. Arrangements have been
made for yardmasters to man switches
for mail trains.
Industrial Cleveland and northern
Ohio will be paralyzed by any pro-
longed continuation Of the strike. 1t
was reported tonight that two large
steel plants had ordered the banking
of several furnaces as means OF con-
serving fuel. Many industrial plants
report only a two-week supply of coal
on hand.
Steel Production Threatened.
YOUNGSTOWN. Ohio. April 10.-For
the second time in less than seven
months the country's second largest
steel-producing region Is virtually
paralyzed as the result Of a strike.
The plants of the Youngstown district
with the exception of few small
yardmen's strike as tightly as they
were last September by the steel
strike, with more than $4,000 workmen
idle. Between 5000 and $500 rail-
road men are estimated to be out.
The municipal! water works Has only
a three-day supply OF coal. while
wholesalers declare that they have only
weeks normal supply of foodstuffs
Not even switching crews for passenger
trains appeared today on the five rail-
roads entering here, and yardmasters
and other officials switched passenger
cars about the station yards.
The strikers here have formed a
rebel organization, and today at
tempted to present wage demands to
the New York Central offices. They
were told, however. that the road could
negotiate only with the recognized
unions.
Ohio Faces Critical Condition.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 10-With
approximately fourteen thousand men
on strike in various railroad centers in
the state, according to unofficial figures
Ohio tonight is facing a critical situa-
ton. Food stocks in cities are becom-
/ ing low. it is reported by food distrib-
utors Many Industrial plants are
closing down. throwing thousands OF
men out of work.
A telegram to John Grunau. presi-
dent Of the Chicago Yardmen's Associa-
| ton, asking that a charter be sent for
branch Of that organization, was sent
tonight by representatives of 1000
striking trainmen employed by the six
railroads entering here.
A press committee. appointed at a
| crowded meeting of the men, said they
were through with Bill Lee" had
\ withdrawn from their various locals
and were forming zone big union
composed of representatives from al
roads.