The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-03
1.167 SANTAFE
Men co TO WORK
SAYS PURCELL
No Attempt at Violence When
Gates Are Opened.
Men Stationed at Point of En-
trance to Check Workers.
MANY UNKIND REMARKS MADE
Serious Look in Eyes of Men
Who Went to Work.
Labor Leaders Watch Result of
TOday's WaIkout Here.

John Purcell, il charge of me-
chanical matters for the Santa
Fe system, issued the following
statement today:
when the whistle was sound
ed at the Santa Fe shops in To
peka this morning, l 1,167 men re-
ported for work out of a total
force of 2,476 on the payroll,
June 80. All departments are in
operation and everything is run
ming smoothly"
Santa Fe passenger and
freight trains generally are on
time and no attempt to inter
fere with operation has been re-
ported, according to a statement
made today by w. K. Etter, gen
eral manager.
Every department of the Santa Fe's
big Topeka shops is in operation to-
day. altho the strike u 7"e is decidedly
effective in point Of lbers OF men
who did not report work this
morning. 1t was app; rent that both
the railroads and shop union officials
made some poor gueSSeS in umbers
of men effected. More men were out
than early estimates indicated. On
the other hand large numbers OF men
went thru the dozen or fifteen gates.
There was little attempt at either
violence or interruption of men who
reported for work today However. the
man who took his little dinner pail
and started to walk to the shops had
a test of fire. 1t was not an easy
in the shop district was patrolled by
men who have registered for the
strike.
Workers Were Inspected.
Thru Branner street and Seward
avenue-principa shop routes-men
were stationed to inspect the workers.
Maybe IT wasn't picketing under strict
and technical definition of the word.
But it was a decidedly effective pa
troll. Only occasionally was worker
stopped or so much as spoken to by
his idle brothers.
Hundreds of men and women stood
along tho streets today to watch the
men who braved the inspection lines.
There were no smiles or words of
cheer for the fellows with the dinner
pals and bundles under their arms.
Some of the remarks among men who
made up the street corner groups were
anything but kind and complimentary.
Recall Herrin, ILL.,, Trouble.
Little knots of men on the corners
talked over the prospects of success
cold glances toward men headed for
their work.
"Going to protect 'em, are they?''
remarked one of the men in a corner
group Il guess this protection stuff
won't sound so good after that little
matter over at Herrin, Ill"
In Branner street another little
group was talking One of the men
saw a workman approach a gate.
Watch that scab -" said the
union man. He probably wants a
Job, the strikebreaking - -
The man approached one of the
gates but did not enter. He was de-
ciared to be a nonunion painter.
Several hours after the men went
to their work the first report of di-
rect interference was received 1t
reached state departments thru semi
official sources.
At the Santa Fe bridge near the
North Topeka junction some twenty
men were reported to have been
stopped by strikers. The men were
about to cross the bridge on their way
TO the shops. Several OF them were
turned back and did not to work. ac-
cording to reports.
The strikers took a dinner pail from
one OF the workers. according to re-
ports. In spite of the interference
several of the men-including the one
who lost his pail-crosSed the bridge
and reported for work. The case is
being investigated by state officials.
NorkerS Checked AS They Enter.
At some of the corners men with
lists of workmen checked names of
laborers who entered the gates. There
was little effort at secrecy about the
plan. The lists were to be checked
against Saturdays strike enrolIments.
Then, too. there is to be visit at the
homes of the workers.
There was serious look in the eyes
of most OF the men who reported for
service today Most of them tried to
keep their eyes tratght ahead. There