The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1921-03-07
TAKING BALLOT ON
SYMPATHY STRIKE
Martin and Fox DiscIaim Official
knowledge of Ballot
OTHER ROADS MEET
Unusual Quiet Marks Progress
of Strike in Fitzgerald

Reports that a vote on a synpa-
thetic strike was being taken by all
roads in the Southeast were discount
ed this morning by W. M. Martin,
chairman, and c. L. Fox, secretary,
of the Joint Federation Committee of
the A. B. & A. crafts. Il have no Off
cial knowledge that such vote is in
progress" Mr.. Martin stated TODAY.
The belief is current in Atlanta and
Macon newspaper circles, however,
that such vote is under way.
Mr.. Martin yesterday afternoon ad-
dressed at Americas meeting of a
joint federation committee OF the
crafts employed by the Seaboard Air
Line railway and Mr.. For spoke
to similar meeting of Atlantic Coast
Line Employees in Waycross. Mr..
Martin also conferred with representa-
tives of the men employed by the
Seaboard and G. S.. F. at Cordele.
81 urged that our friends and SYM
pathizers take no action in our behalf
that is not strictly within the law"
said Mr.. Martin. "The former en-
ployes of the A. B. & A. are acting
strictly within the law and we want
our friends on other roads to take no
action that would prejudice US or
union labor as whole in the public
eye"
1t was understood here this morn
ing that pickets had been posted
around the railroad shops, yards, and
other railroad property The strikers
have been given strict orders to stay
away from railroad property and to
stay off the streets as much as posi-
BILE. They are being held under the
guidance of the older men in mass
meetings that consume most of the
day.
The first day of ut Atlanta Biz
mingham and Atlantic Railway strike
passed quitely. Three trains which
rolled into Fitzgerald on schedule
time after the hour set for the strike,
were left on the tracks in front of the
station by their union crews and were
taken to the yards in the railway
shops by trainmaster Fred Astin.
The through passenger arriving
here at 4:20 Saturday from Atlanta
will probably be the last run over the
A. B. and A. tracks until the strike is
over. No arrangements were made
Saturday to send train out of Fitz-
gerald.
The mails are being brought into
Fitzgerald over the branch line of the
Seaboard from Abbevile. Outgoing
mails are being handled over the Sea-
board to Abbevil1e and the Ocilla
Southern to Allapaha, where connec-
tons are made with the Atlantic
Coast Line. The strike has vastly
slowed up express, mail and passenger
traffic here but will not entirely stop
it. Taxi fares had only doubled to-
night for interurban trips.
About 100 Out
No definite figures are available
here on the number of men affected
by the strike but it is estimated that
about eleven hundred walked out.
Normally about fifteen hundred men
are employed by the road but more
than one-fourth of that number has
been laid off since October. About
eight hundred of those who walked
out are employed on the division east
of Manchester and at railroad shops
here, large proportion of them
living in Fitzgerald.
The last payday, March first,
brought about $4,000 into Fitzgerald
for the last two weeks in February,
under the old wage scale, or $4,000
month. While the railroad was oper-
ating with full force the amount
paid through local banks was about