The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-14
Big Four Members Who Walk
Out Must Ask Officials First.
Entire Country Hit by En-
bargO, Strike and Riot Wave.
SHOPMEN MAY ACCEPT PEACE?
Since Executives Rejected Plan
of Harding, They Depart
But Big Four Brotherhood is
Believed to Hold Key.

Washington, Aug. 14.-Presi-
dent Harding is the hope of the
country today. Action in the rail
strike situation has been delayed
until congress meets, and con-
gress is meeting Tuesday.
Leading members of the house
today stated they had been
given the impression" that Pres
ident Harding would come be-
fore the house Wednesday with
a special message dealing with
the railroad situation. ~
No confirmation of this could be OBJ
tanned at the White House today, how
L. e. Sheppard. head of the Order
of Railroad Conductors, and w N.
Doak. vice president of the Brother
hood Of Trainmen' after a two-hour
conference today with Secretary of
Labor Davis. announced that ar-I
rangements had been made for AMI
other conference late today between
leaders of the nonstriking rail unions
and President Harding This informa-
tion was obtained by the Associated
Press
Meanwhile. disturbing reports were
pouring into the national capitol from
other parts of the country
Adopt Strike Resolution.
Resolutions asking the American
Federation Of Labor to call a gen.
eraI national strike, and requesting
President Harding to have an investi-
CATION made "of airbrake equipment
in connection with the numerous ac-
c.dcntS thruout the country" have
been adopted by the Central trades
and l. Dor union of St. Louis. The
central trades organization includes
all local union wCrknen. except mem /
bCrs Of the building trade.
one more ray OF hope which was |
injected today into the situation, how |
ever, came from President W. c. Lee,
Of the Brotherhood Of Railroad Train |
man. who instructed two vice presi- |
dents of his organization to go imme- |
where illegal strikes of trainmen are |
reported in effect and trains ma
rooned."
instructions were given the vice |
presidents" Mr.. Lee said ito insist /
that all laws Of the brotherhood re-
Garding the cessation of work be com
piled with, and members continue |
work"
DEPARTMENT of Justice To Act
Following reports that train service
employees on the Coast Valley line di-
vision OF the Santa Fe had voted TO
strike. at 10 o'clock tomorrow night,
General Daugherty wired /
district attorneys in California, Ari-
Zona and New Mexico to take imme- |
diate action thru callins of a grand |
jury. against the strikers, if there was
an evidence Of conspiracy to interrupt
interstate commerce.
District Attorney Burke of Los
Angeles telegraphed the attorney gem
eral today that he had been unable to
determine whether there had been
conspiracy on the part of the train
crews in leaving their trains stalled |
along the Santa Fe right of way.
Trains row are running, however,
burke added.
Strike Cloud Is Darker.
With these few exceptions, however.
the strike cloud became even darker
today. Officials of the big four broth
erhood at Ration. n. NJ, wired national
headquarters Tor sanction of a walk
out OF all members of the orCa MIA |
ton employed by the Santa Fe lines
Conditions under which they were
working were assigned as excuses for
the asked walkout.
Twelve hundred trainmen- rnen,bars
of the big four brotherhoods. en-
ployeS on the Cumberland division of
the Louisville & Nashville railroad.
left their trains at 10 O'Clock this
morning. The Great Harland and
Bell county coal districts thus are
tied up.
VI. p. Clerks Favor Walkout.
Six thousand clerks of the Missouri
Pacllc rain DAD, taking a strike vote
at St. Louis are favorfng a wallxont
C. A. Patterson. general Chairman Of
the brotherhood announced
Three hundred firemen on the
Louisville. Cincinnati & Lexington di-
vision OF the Louisville & NashviIIe
railroad went on strike at IouisviIle
Ky, today at noon.
Embargo on in Iowa.
An embargo on all perisha BILE
freight. including livestock was or
dered today by the Northwestern raIl-
road, thruout Iowa today Plans are
being made TO organize motor truck
fleets to handle freight.