The Washington herald., 1922-02-06
Public Utilities Tied Up,
While Labor Leaders
Defy Government.
SADDLERS' UNION
EXPELS EBERT
Restriction on Funerals
Arouses Bitter
Criticisms.


way walkout rapidly assuming the
proportion of a general nationwide
strike, union leaGcrE have issued
a proclamation declaring they will
prosecute their advantage until a
complete victory is gained.
Little result was gained from the
instructions Of the imperial traffic
minister to the managers OF rail-
ways to dismiss all workers who
did not return to work at once. All
trains in Berlin, with the exception
Of partial suburban service, have
teen tied up. Tramcar, gas and
electrical employees have cast their
lots with the strikers. and a walk
out in the water works has completed
the stoppage of public utilities.
Telegraph workers in Berlin have
also Joined the movement. but the
service has not yet been impaired
to a great extent.
Extends to Hanover.
Notwithstanding the rebuke ad-
ministered to the railway strikers
by the General Federation of LII
Tor and allied organizations, the
rail tie-up showed an extension n
all its branches, many of the met
ropoiitan centers being forced to con-
template the stoppage of milk and
cattle trains. The strike now eX-
tends to Hanover. while the unions
in the Frankfort -on-Main district
have voted to cooperate in the
protest.
The deadlock between the gov
eminent and the labor leaders
shows no evidence of breaking. At
Cologne, the Saddlers' and Uphoi-
sterers' Union has voted TO ex-
clude President Ebert from men,
bership. on the grounds that al
though he is a saddlemaker by pre-
fession. his present anti-strike at
titude is hostile TO the interests of
the organization. -. a---
Forced to Use street Pumps.
Thousands were surprised and
angered this morning when pre-
pairing breakfasts, they found the
faucets waterless, due to the wa
ter works strike. The people were
forced outside in a 20 degrees frost,
armed with all varieties Of recep-
tacles. including pals, wash ba-
sins, beer mugs and milk bottles,
to draw water from The street
pumps some pleICtu inc Hloiu
air with curses. while others joked
resignedly. and a'few wise ones,
having anticipated the exigency and
filled their bathtubs with water,
laughed from their windows at the
crowds lined up at the pumps.
The disappointment of the popu-
lation has been intensified by the
optimism of the press which, prob
ably inspired, blames the war for
| the strike.
Institutions which the strike
committee has consented to supply
with water include asylums. hos
pitfalls and the public aquarium. Civ
| ing rise to the saying that Berlin's
most envied Inhabitants are the
crocodiles.
Strike Restricts Funerals.
Declaring 'let the dead bury the
dead" the strikers are permitting
only those funerals which were reg
istered before the strike. This re-
striction, adding another hardship
to those already established by the
present emergency, has led the en-
| tire press. including the socialists
to condemn the strike.
vorwaertz says this barbaric. in
human fight is shAming the whole
| labor movement"
The Freiheit criticises the "irre-
spopsibility'' of the strike leaders
but maintains that the govern
ment's anti-strike proclamation hS'
heightened the situation.
The gover9ment's cali for volun-
teers to rum the trains has proved
unavailing.
An engineer bringing a train to
Berlin bitterly declared that volun-
teers were a hindrance rather than
help.
To insure necessary communica-
ton, airplanes are permitted to
carry mail only.