Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-04-13
RAIL MEN
OUT ON STRIKE
BREAK IN STRIKE, OFFICIALS
SAY; STRONGER THAN EVER,
MEN ASSERT
FREIGHT EMBARGODECLARED
6attle Is of Union Against Union
Rebels" Claim Fight viii Be Car
ried on Until New Union
Is Completed

Chicago, April 10.-A break in the
unauthorized strike of switchmen and
enginemen at Chicago, where it start
ed nine days ago, with a subsequent
spread to many railroad centers, was
announced yesterday by A. f. Whit
ney, vice president of the Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen, who con-
ferred with a committee Of strikers
from the Chicago & Northwestern rail-
road.
The delegation was said to have told
Mr.. Whitney that a vote would be
taken within "a hours with a view to
ending the strike on that railroad Sat
urday night. Brotherhood officers
said that a number of strikers return
ed to work yesterday, and predicted
that the amount of freight in the Chi
cago area would be nearly normal by
next week.
Another group of strikers yesterday
requested the mayor of Chicago "to
take steps to settle the strike by adj
dressing a mass meeting of yard en-
ployes."
Leaders of the insurgents said the
strike was not only not broken but
would be carried on until a new union
was completed.
Reports from rail centers through
out the country indicated hat nearly
10000 railroad men were on strike.
Freight embargoes were declared In .
number of cities by railroads af-
fected by the walkout. Breaks in the
strike were reported in a few places.
Switchmen and brakemen on the Mis-
souri, Pacific railway at Sedalia, Mo-,
who walked out yesterday morning, re-
turned to work in the afternoon.
Railroad officers in the New York
area reported that strikers were re-
turning to New Jersey yards,
Heads of the railroad b~rotherhoods
last night denounced the strike as
purely an attempt to disrupt the union.
More time in which to break the
strike was asked In a letter addressed
to the Western Association Of Rail-
ways by the railroad brotherhoods.
1--WE wish to assure the railroads
with whom we have contracts that 1t
Is u purpose to support the integrity
Of these contracts by endeavoring to
protect them to the fullest extent, In
order that the public may not be seri-
ously Inconvenience" the letter said.
"We appreciate, however, that ow-
ing to present economic conditions
over which we have no control, and
the fact that the situation has been
grossly misrepresented by irresponsi-
BILE persons, we have assumed die
tatorship of an unorganized body of
men, that it will be difficult for us en-
tirely to relieve the situation until we
have had further opportunity to meet
and talk with our members. We be-
lieve the railroads will cooperate
with us to that end"
Important developments Of the day
were the ordering of an investigation
of the strike by the senate and an an
nouncement by w. G. Lee, president
Of the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men, that the brotherhood would OPP
pose any attempt TO settle the walkout
by mediation.
Lit 6lllht luu DtIOlut Il tltuI cut
fight between the recognized railroad
organizations and the radical element
among the railway workers, brother
hood officers said.
The brotherhoods claim that freight
traffic in Chicago was so per cent of
normal yesterday was countered by
the "rebel' assertion that the tieup
had become more clearly complete.
The question Of wages and hours
had become of secondary Importance,
according to John Grunau, president
of the Chicago Yardmen's association,
which called the original walkout.
"The fight has become one of SUI
premacy between the new and the old
unions" Grunau said. "We railroad
men are tired of receiving nothing but
promises from our leaders. We de.
mand results
An optimistic statement was issued
yesterday by the Western General
Managers association, composed OF
managers of all roads entering Chi
cagO.
THE strike in Chicago showed fur.
Their improvement today" the state
ment said. "All the railroads are
handling their passenger and subur.
ban trains as usual. On several rail
roads there was a further increase in
the number Of switching crews work
ing and on none Of the roads was
fhara q dacraaca