Arizona republican., 1920-04-12
CRepubIican A. p. Leased wireI

portant break In the unauthorized strike of railroad employees. which started in the Chicago terminal dis trict nearly two weeks ago. occurred tonight at Columbus. when 500 switch men on the Pennsylvania railroad voted to return to work tonight Tn addi- ton, five hundred engineers and fire men, forced out of work by the strike, will return.
 Although there was no general move ment back to work among the 40,O00 men reported on strike throughout the country, defections from the ranks of the insurgents were reported yester- day and today in Chicago, Kansas City, in California and several other places, and brotherhood officers were conri- dent that the peak of the strike move ment was past
 Leaders of the rebel walkout, how ever, maintained that the strike was gaining momentum.
 Many Sections Unaffected
 In Chicago freight embargoes havs been lifted by the New York Central and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroads. In number of i'm portant rail centers, railroad employees have voted not to strike. Large sec tions of the country still were virtually unaffected by the walkout notably New England, southeastern states. the northwestern states and mountain states.
 Passenger traffic was affected very little. except in the New York area where service was reported below 90 per cent of normal Fears of food famine in New York city were allayeG by the arrival of supplies over ths New York Central and the New Haven roads. Several thousand were reported on strike in eastern New Jersey, and freight traffic was considerably ham pered.
 The crew of the Chicago express OH (, ri a S F1o fra at Port Jarvis, N. T., 90 miles front New York tonight. Two hundred and fifty passengers were on the train. ToT ake Up Government Action Today
 It was announced from Washington that the question of governmental ac- tion in the strike would be taken up by Attorney General Palmer upon his re turn to Washington tomorrow. Re ports from the strike districts were being assembled by the department Of justice. Five thousand men were af- fected by walkout of Pennsylvania railroad switchmen, conductors and brakemen at the Pitt Cairn terminal tonight. Seven hundred sWitchmen on strike at Milwaukee voted today not to return to work. The Chicago. Milwaukee & St Paul road declared an embargo on perishable freight
 At-WeIlsville, Ohio, 250 yardmen and road men went on strike today. More men went out in the Pittsburg region and 500 quit at Peoria.
 In the Cleveland district where 2,09o were reported on strike, blast mills ana steel mills began laying off men.
 Gompers Opposes Wa,kout
 Samuel Gompers, president of tho American Federation of Labor who arrived in Cleveland today declared the walkout mistake and said the would support the brother hoods in their struggle with the m surgent strikers.
 W. G. Lee, president of the Brother hood of Railroad Trainmen. said he had received many reports from broth erhood chairmen throughout the coun try announcing improved conditions.
 Loyalty to the union was pledged bY Cincinnati switchmen in telegram to s. E. Heberling, president of the Switchmen'S Union of North America. Cincinnati was the only large Ohio city unaffected by the strike.
 Four warrants for strike leaders, issued at Kansas City, Kansas, on re- quest of Attorney General Hopkins will be issued tomorrow.
 Claims Conflict
 While officials of the railroad broth who united with railroad heads to break the unauthorized strike of switchmen which started in the Chi cago terminal district announced to- night that the situation was steadily and that the crisis of the
  dent of the Chicago Yardmen's asso- iation, who called the strike, declared.
 '"The situation is unchanged
 The situation in the Chicago district S distinctly improved $. E. Heberlins. president of the Switchmen's Union cf North America, said tonight. More nen are returning to work and we look Or an early return to normal condi- ions.'
 MT. Heberling said that brotherhoo1 eaders were meeting with delegations . If strikers in an effort to end the walk ut and that satisfactory progress was ,eing made.
 Urge Men To Return
 It was reported that several com nittees were canvassing the individual workers and delivering instructions to -eturn to work Edward Corrigan. as If Locomotive Engineers, made public | communication addressed to him by me of these. committees. It read in ,art:
 we. the undersigned local commit ee representing members of the Broth rhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Locomotive Bremen md Ensinemen, hereby request of yOl l. hat you request the General Man gers association to give us the same aise in wages as demanded by the 3. l.. k. and the B. l.. F. F.
 Tn returning to our work We do 50 vith the understanding that our sen ority rights shall be protected"
 'sSee Their Mistake
 ''I feel absolutely certain that the nen will be back at their work within s hours said MT. Corrigan. "Our lans appear to have the desired effect. We are taking this action to protect our Id men. They have been ill advised. ut they now see their mistake
 AZ an open meeting of the strikers. ohn Grunau. leader of the insurgent lemef,t, predicted success for the yalkout.
 We are going to win he said. NO ne has returned to work and reports ave been received from alr parts of he country that traffic is tied up. l ave telegrams and letters from St ,ouis, Kansas City, Columbus, Cleve-