Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-04-10
Whitney Sees Break.

W NlLNcy oeeS Ore8k.
 Chicago. H., April 9.--A break in the unauthorized strike of switchmen and enginemen at Chicago where it started nine days ago with subse- quent spread to number of railroad centers. was announced today by A F. Whitney. vice president of the brotherhood of railroad trainmen. who conferred with committee of strikers from the Chicago and Northwestern railroad.
 The delegation was said to have told MT. Whitney that a vote would be taken within 24 hours with view to ending the strike on that railroad bv Saturday night. Brotherhood of- ficers said that a number of strik- CTS returned to work today, and pre- dicted that the movement of freight in the Chicago area would be near normal by next week. Another e.roun of strikers today requested the "mayor of Chicaeo to take steps to settle the strike by addressing a mass meeting of yard employees" Leaders of the insurgents said the strike was not only broken. but would be carried on until a new union was completed. Reports from rail centers throughout the country indicated that nearly 30.O0O railroad men were on strike. Freight em- bargoes were declared in a number of cities by railroads affected by the walkout. Breaks in the strike were reported in few, places Switchmen and hrakemen on the Mis- souri Pacific railroad at Sedalia, Mo-, who walked out this morning. re- turned to work this afternoon. Rail- road officers in the New York area reported strikers were returning to New Jersey yards. where about half the workers quit their posts. Heads of the railroad brotherhood tonight denounced the strike as purely an at- tempt to disrupt the old union. More time in which to break the strike was asked in letter address, ed to the Western Association of Railways by the Railroad Brother hoods.
 Important developments of the day were the ordering of an investiga- ton of the strike by the senate and an announcement by w. G. Lee. pres ident of the Brotherhood of Railroa Trainmen, that the brotherhoods would oppose any attempt to settle tho walkout by mediation.
 "We shall resist every effort to settle this illegal strike by media tion, Mir. Lee said. tThere is noth- ! ing to mediate with the insurgents and the fight now is to preserve the recognized labor organization union
 The strike had become clear cut fight between the recognized rail- 1 road organization and the radical ele- ments among the rail workers. broth erhoods officers said. The brother hoods claim that freight traffic in Chicago was 50 per cent of normal today was countered by the "rAbels' assertion that the tie-up had be- come more nearly complete.
 'The question. of wages and hours had become of secondary import ance." according to John Grunau president of the Chicago Yardmens' 1 association, which called the original walkout.
 "The fight has become one of su- premacy between the new and the old unions," Granau said. eve rail- road men are tired of receiving noth- ing but promises from our leaders We demand results"
 An optimistic statement was is- sued today by the western general ! managers association. composed o1 managers of all railroads entering Chicago.
 "The strike in Chicago showed further improvement today" the statement said.
 In the New York area railroad of. fees and union leaders were land. ing efforts to break the strike and although conditions were reported te be improving, the situation was still considered serious. Nearly 4,000 em' ployes of 23 railroads entering To, ledo, including switchmen, engine, men and firemen were reported idle today.
 East St. Louis and Madison, H., ar
 embargo on all incoming and outgo
 ing freight traffic was ordered
 Yardmen on 27 roads were on strike
 All railroads in Kansas City op
 erating under contracts with thu
 Brotherhood of Railway Trainmel
 were affected. An embargo was de
 e>.---es- x (Continued on Page 6.)