Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-10-27
UNION LEADERS TO
FACE u. S. WRIT
TO MAKE CONSPIRACY CHARGE
AGAINST LABOR LEADERS
If STRIKE OCCURS.

Prosecution of the rail union lead
ers for conspiracy to paralyze the
transportation system of the country
was determined upon at the legal
council of war of Attorney General
Daugherty and the, five district at
torneys he called to Washington on
Tuesday
In the event of the walk-out actu-
ally Undertaking. the heads of the
brotherhoods and the 400 local
chairmen named in the strike call
will be arrested on government war
rants charging conspiracy. Other
legal measures also will be adopted
to prevent interference with trans
portation.
II the railway labor board fails to
avert the strike, President Harding
will issue a proclamation denoting
the purpose OF the government to
maintain transportation and giving
warning of the consequences of pros
ecution which will be incurred by the
strikers in defying the government.
"The trains will rum" emphatical-
ly asserted Mr.. Daugherty following
the conclusion of the conference.
Chas. f. Clyne, the United States
attorney at Chicago, left hurriedly
Tuesday afternoon under sealed or
ders," as he expressed 1t. Mr.. Clyne
carried with him the instructions Of
the attorney general to be commune
Gated to other district attorneys in
the west, who will assemble at a
conference within the next few days
at st. Louis or Kansas City. This
conference will make a study of the
grounds for legal action, after which
the United States attorneys will re-
turn to their districts, prepared to
institute concurrent prosecution Of
the strike leaders at the signal from
Washington.
While the attorney general is con-
fident there will be no complete sus-
pension of transportation in the
event Of a strike he recognizes that
there will be slowing down OF food
and fuel shipments.
With this situation in mind he ut
tered an appeal to households to re-
frain from buying orgy or hoard
ing which would incite profiteering
by retailers and send prices skyward.
To Secretary of Commerce Hoov-
er, who is organizing government
agencies to keep the necessities of
life moving, Mr.. Daugherty sent de-
tailed reports on the food and fuel
situation in every section OF the
country. These reports disclose that
there are supplies OF food and fuel
in most communities sufficient to
last two weeks even IL transporta-
ton were completely suspended.
Mr.. Daugherty declined to discuss
his plans for proceeding against the
strike leaders.
1T is sufficient to say at this
time" he said, that we are getting
ready to act effectively If it should
become necessary"
Asked who would be the defend
ants in any proceedings instituted
by the government, Mr.. Daugherty
observed that the strike call contain
ed the names of several hundred and
the places at which they would be
found.
1T is one of the functions of the
government to preserve transporta-
tion," said the attorney general.
"and that We are going to do to the
utmost Of our ability IL 1t should be-
come necessary. In performing that
function Of government l am conf
dent we shall have the practically
unanimous approval of the country.
Our reports indicate that the people
including the great majority of the
laboring people, have no patience
with this strike"
Mr.. Daugherty wished it to be un-
derstood that he was not discussing
the merits of the controversy leading
up to the strike order.
"That question is within the prov
ince of the labor board" he said.
"The President is well advised and
has the matter well in hand. Trans
portation facilities must function.
The President will announce his pur-
pose to preserve transportation IL
that step should become necessary,
and 1t will be the duty Of the depart
ment to follow instructions and see
that these facilities are kept in OPP
GRAFTON, that property is protected,
and violence or use of force restrain
ed. There is ample authority under
which the government can proceed.
There is enough law in the decision
ON the Debs case in 1894 to show
that the government has the power
to function in preserving transpor-
tation."