Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-29
CAMPAIGN FOR kI'AD00 PULLING PR0BERS
HOUSE KILLS PEACE RESOLUTION
STRIKE OF RAIL
. CLERKS SPREADS:
FREIGHT TIED UP

TNElOT1l llED VI
All but one of the principal rail
roads entering Atlanta were more OF
less involved Friday in the strike OF
union clerks starting last week on
the Central of Georgia railroad
which led to a sympathetic walkout
| by considerable numbers of cler- cal
workers on five other roads hurs-
day at noon, followed by similar &C.
ton by another line Friday morning
A practical tie up of freight move
ments in Atlanta was reported at
i four of the roads affected, while
three roads involved were said to be
operating about as usual.
/ At a mass meeting Thursday night
the clerks of all the brotherhoods
connected with the strike voted
unanimously to stay out until the
ultimatum issued by the Central of
| Georgia road last week is withdrawn
and their attitude has the endorse
ment of the union leader in charge
| of the situation, ]. w. Nelson, grand
vice president of the national broth
| erhood
The forwarding and delivery of
! freight was stopped Thursday morn
ing on the Southern railway, the At
lanta and West Point railway, the
! Louisville and Nashville railway and
the Georgia railroad, on which lines
a large proportion of the clerks of
| all departm were reported out
| At the Atlanta, Birmingham and At
| lantic railway, from Is to 20 per
cent of the clerical force was
| said y to be out, but the re-
ceiving and delivery of freight
was proceeding as usual. At the Cen
trail of Georgia railway, the road
on which the controversy originated
| last week. deliveries were being
0made all day and freight for ship
ment was being accepted from Z
o'clock in the morning to l O'Clock
in the afternoon.
| A number of clerks at the ward Of
fees, of the Nashville, Chattanooga
and st. Louis road, were out Friday
morning, but freight service remain
ed uninterrupted, officials, said
The Seaboard Air Line railroad Is
now the only line entering Atlanta
that has not become involved.
|. Press dispatches Friday morning
reported that clerks of the Atlantic
Coast Line railway, Thomasville, Ca,
and at st. Augustine, on the Flor
| ida East Coast railway, had joined
| the strike.
The strikers represent several hum
dred union clerks of the roads in
volved. The walkout became effec-
tive Thursday when the employees did
not return to their posts after the
noon hour. There had been no no.
tice of a strike, and according to
the local head Of the brotherhood,
no strike order has been issued. The
situation is the result Of spontaneous
action of affiliated brotherhoods in
sympathy with the Central of Geor-
gia clerks, Vice President Nelson
states.
Conference on at Macon
A conference at Macon between
representatives of the brotherhoods,
representatives of other Central rail-
road crafts and officials of the road
was in session when the walkout in
Atlanta occurred and was to con-
tinue Friday No progress toward a
settlement of TIE trouble was re-
ported, and according to the union
head, the situation has been aggra-
waited, if anything, by the delibera-
tions.
Says Clerks Are Right
81 believe those poor clerks are
absolutely right and that they will
not return to work until the Central's
ultimatum is withdrawn" said the
vice president Of the union, Friday
| morning. Mr.. Nelson stated that the
! walkout had not become effective
| through any action of the general
| chairmen OF twenty-seven brother
| hoods of southeastern lines, which
has been in session in Atlanta since
! Sunday. The conference was to have
adjourned Thursday but will now
| continue.
'"phere was no order from me, and
nobody else issued any specific or
| dey," stated Mr. Nelson. l think the
strike was a natural, intuitive spon-
| taneous action by the other clerks.
! 1t was a demonstration of a prin-
ciple propounded by the American
| Federation of Labor setting out that
we do not believe in strikes, but if
|
! back the best we can. L suppose the
whole southeast will be affected. UNI
| less the ultimatum is withdrawn.
| The Macon conference has only irri-
| tated the situation. The Central Of
! ficials are still sparring for time and
| clubbing over minor details"
Has Full Authority
| Mr.. Nelson stated that he had been
vested with full authority by the
| grand president of the national
| brotherhood to handle the situation
in this territory. At a mass meeting
;, Of about 1900 clerks last night, he
said, he asked any clerk to stand
| who wished to go back under the
| conditions stipulated by the Central
road and there was no response.
The strike began Monday a week
ago when clerks at principal cities
Of the Central of Georgia railroad
did not report for duty. No griev-
| anceS or demands had been present
ed, according to officials of the
! road, and no strike order had been
! issued, both sides stated. Dissatis-
/ faction with wage schedules and
| alleged violation of the national
agreement by the railroad officials
| precipitated the trouble, the union
| claims. The road maintains thai
there is nc justification for the
strike and that it is in violation OF
the national agreement and the con-
sitution of the brotherhood.
WY ~ D.n