The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-01
MEN WALK OUT

MEN w AIN w
Continued from Page one)
tempt at violence or wild demonstra-
ton. Yet the sentiment OF the work
ers was reflected in the conversations
in little groups of employees as the
strike hour approached
81 haven't said what I'm gonna do,
said one workman. Il came down
here to see what happened. My pres
ence doesn't mean very much"
| 'fTo hell with PurcelPS order" was
the remark OF another in commenting
on the notice posted in the shops late
| Friday. THAT notice 0on't mean a
damned thing if we WIN this strike.
| They'll have to take US back then and
give US what we want, too"
Hope 1t Won't Last Long"
well, I hope it don't last long"
was the comment of a woman with a
/ baby in her arms. And the remark
was answered with solemn nod from
| a young woman who was approach
ing motherhood The women stopped
| to cheer as u few stragglers came
down the right of-way from one of
| the shops. A moment later there was
hush among them when a man who
had apparently seen many years serv-
ice, slipped from between some cars
He was carrying his dinner pail and
raincoat and didn't stop to join in the
cheering. He glanced back over his
shoulders at the shops and slipped
into a side street on his way home.
Estimates of officials as to the first
effect of the strike were only guesses.
Most of the men who ventured a state
ment estimated that the strike was
81 to so per cent effective.
1t will be impossible to state the
number of men idle until Monday!
Some of the men who went out today
were expected to report for duty then.
Others who are at work now may quit.
~, Gav INV r7ear1r I1nf n n
not work Saturday and were in to-
days demonstration will make their
final decision before Mondays whistle
blows.
Carry American Flags.
Probably 1900 men marched in the
monstration on Kansas avenue at
IL O'Clock this morning. This includ-
ed many men from the locomotive
shops who did not work today but
who Joined the strikers. Not until
Monday will it be known how many
men will quit their jobs in the loco
motive shops.
When the hour for the big event
arrived, Branner street at the west
end of the viaducF was crowded with
motor cars Many people from up
town and the west end residence dis
tricts had gone to the shop district to
see the show. Most of them Joined
in the parade which followed the
marching strikers to Kansas avenue
Some of the crafts are strangely af-
fected by the strike order. The car
repair shop will doubtless show the
greatest number and larger percen-
tage of idle men in the official check
up. On the other hand the black
smith shop with $50 men employed
may not register more than rs to 40
idle men.
Officers in Final Appeal.
Shop officials spent the last hour
before the strike with the men. They
were actively engaged in the various
departments and in numerous in
stances appealed to the men to re,
member their seniority rights and
benefits. 1t was a strong appeal to
many
Several workmen who stood on the
viaduct this morning, admitted that
many strike prospects had been lost
in the final appeal to the men to pro-
tect their own rights. On the other
hand more radical men among the
workers asserted that the appeal
would mean but little and that the
creased Monday.
The parade to Kansas avenue and
thru the downtown district began as
soon as the strikers could be assem- |
bled in strike formation. Hundreds
of women in the shop district saw the
marchers. Occasionally some of them |
cheered. In the main, tho, it was a /;
solemn, serious crowd on the curb |
line. The strikers, who became quiet |
after the parade started. started cheer |
ing again when Kansas avenue was
reached
Demonstration Last Night. /
The walkout today was preceded by /
big demonstration in the downtown |
district last night. Following an en- /
thusiastic meeting at the City park, /
where the leaders told their men the |
strike would be 100 per cent, a large |
delegation OF shop workers, estimated |
all the way from 1000 to 1900, |
paraded up and down Kansas avenue |
and around the state house.
From hundreds of Threats 1t was /
shouted that the tie-up would be COM |
plete, the men declaring they would |
lay down their tools and walk out of !
the Santa Fe plant at 10 o'clock to-
day unless orders calling off the strike |
are received from their national Of /
fcers before that hour. There was a |
were disorganiZed, and If the men
were discouraged over the railroad /
company's announcement that those /
who walk out will lose their jobs per- /
manently along with their pension |
and death benefits. they didn't show I
No Disorder
There was no disorder of any kind
last night. Instead the men appeared
10 be in an earnest, serious mood de-
termined to stand by their organiza-
ton and their fellow workrnen on
other divisions and on other lines, who
their leaders told them were going out
today to man. They did not appear
necessary as long as the cost of living
does nor come down The r,,f - rail