Evening star., 1922-07-02
Local Rail Officials
Launch Effort to.
Break Strike.
SEEKING NEW MEN;
MAY SHIFT OTHERS.
Picketing Starts Despite
Warning-Claim Only
1,lW Quit Here.

Siolo IduHCHSO uctCIHllHcO cloI
last night to break the backbone of
the strike of the shop craftsmen en-
ployed in the Washington Terminal
and railroad yards in and near the
District. Advertisements for men to
fill the places Of the strikers were
inserted in the various newspapers.
while at the same time experienced
employees in other branches Of the
service were requested to apply for
a temporary or permanent transfer
to the vacant positions.
No interference whatever with op-
Grafton of the trains out Of Wash
ington and no disorders of any char
acter have marked the start OF the
strike in the National Capital. Con-
flicting figures as to the number of
out. however. have been given out
by the railroad and union officials.
According to union officials 80 per
cent. or approximately 1900. of the
men employed in the Washington and
Potomac yards, were on strike last
night. Railroad officials. on the other
hand. place the number of strikers
at about 1,100
Differ Over Local Total.
Bernard R. Tolson. chief clerk to
Supt. ]. F. Tonge of the Washington
Terminal, said that figures Of the rail
road officials show that not more
than 500 of the 1900 shop craftsmen
in the terminal and the lexington
and Ivy City yards had walked out
Union officials, claim that virtually
ss per cent of the men at these points
had Joined the ranks of the strikers
Picketing of the Union station ex.
press once and the Ivy City. Ecking-
ton and Benning yards was started
late in the afternoon by the strikers
in defiance of the orders Of the rail.
road oficials. Special officers, armed
with two-foot nightsticks, have beer
stationed at all the yards and in the
Union station by the railroad Off
cials with orders to protect the rail.
roads property and not to tolerate
the picketing. Thus far. however
no clashes between the strikers and
the special officers have been re-
ported.
The Potomac yards and the yards of
the Southern railroad in Alexandria
also are being carefully picketed by the
strikers. No disorder has occurred at
either Of these points.
Blame Late Trains on Holiday.
Trains on the Baltimore and Ohio
and Pennsylvania railroads coming into
Washington from northern points last
night were running seven minutes to an
hour late. Railroad officials attributed
the late arrivals to the heavy pre-holi-
day and vacation travel and not to the
strike.
Enthusiasm was apparent at the head
quarters Of the International Associa-
ton OF Machinists in the Machinists'
building last night, upon the receipt
Of telegraphic reports from all sections
of the country stating that practically
100 per cent of tho membership had
walked out IN the rail- strike.
Enthused by Telesrams.
while we have not received any
official figuyes as to the number oil
men who answered the strike call.
said William H. Johnson, presiden,
of the association, practically every
one of the several hundred kilograms
have received declare the full mem.
bership o. the local lodges left work
The messages show the men to be en-
couraged on the first day of the
strike and no reports of disorder have
been received"
Charles n. Frazier, business agent
Of the local machinists' union. who
is directing the activities of the
Washington strikers. reported last
night that "a few additional shop
men" on the 4 to 12 o'clock shift
augmented the ranks of the strikers
Yesterday afternoon. II am conf
dent" he said, that number ol
others will quit tomorrow and make
the local strike 100 per cent effective
A number of superannuated unior
shopmen who are slated for retire.
ment in several months are among
those who have failed to leave theil
posts, Mr.. Frazier declared. empha'
sizing that they were not encouraged
to do so. "I don't think it would
be fair to these men," he said. ''te
request them to join the strikers"
Those Who Quit Barred.
More than 100 men were employed
by the oficials Of the Washington
terminal yesterday afternoon to re-
place the employees who walked out
The officials are confident that suf-
f1cient number will be employed to-
morrow to fill the posts left by the
strikers.
Chief Clerk Tolson Of the terminal
pointed out last night that mons
of the shop craftsmen who walked
out will be reinstated when the strike
terminates. THE men who we take
on to I'LL their places" he said. "wil
be given permanent positions. Those
who walked out forfeited their jobs
and we intend to I'LL them"
Mr.. Tolson said that this warning
was given the shopmen before the
strike became effective. but the.
failed to. heed it