Evening star., 1922-07-11
Situation Is Serious
Cabinet Officials
Say at Meeting.
MORE MAIL TRAINS
REPORTED HALTED
DR.. Work Lays Issue Be.
fore President-Action
Nav Be Taken.

The ."only acute situation before the
country today" was the characterize
tion given the railroad problem by Of
ficials high in the administration to-
day. This became known following
the cabinet meeting, at which the
main topic OF discussion was the rail-
way strike.
The President and the administra-
ton determined the governments pol
icy. it was stated, after hearing from
Postmaster General Work that the
strike was slowing up or stopping the
mails, despite the governments warn
ing.
The official stand Of the government.
it was learned, will be made known
in formal statement from the White
House later in the day.
Mail Interfered with.
Reports continued to come to Post
master General Work today OF interfer-
ences by strikers with the United States
mails. Three thousand miles of railway
mail service on the Wabash railway are
out of operation. according to kilograms
received by S. H. Cisler. superintendent
of railway mails at st. Louis.
Supt. Cisler stated that the fuel sit
uation is very serious because OF the
impossibility of getting coal moved over
foreign lines from the mines. Cisler
said that no trouble was reported at
Springfield and other points in Missouri
yesterday, and the situation in Kansas
City is good.
The Frisco system. in kilograms to the
Postmaster General, announced that 1t
has no intention of withdrawing
trains.
b. 4 o. Train Held Up.
c. W. Galloway. vice president of
the Baltimore and Ohio. wired Post
master General Work from Baltimore,
as follows:
1.-THE Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company was obliged to annul the
operation of its train, number 46,
from Flora. ILL.,, to Shawneetown, ILL.,.
yesterday morning, and on that ac-
count was unable to perform United
States mail service between these
points on account of action of strik-
ers. who would not permit our officers
and employees, who were on the
ground at Flora to make up train.
This has been brought to the atten-
-hon Of Post Office Department au-
thorities in that section. The Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad Company had
equipment in proper condition and
ioTCcS HcCc6SdTy 10 operate tQtS SeTN-
ice. but was prevented from doing
80 by failure of local authorities to
maintain order and provide protec-
tion for our employees. Am bringing
this to your personal attention in
view Of possibility of more extensive
and serious difficulties in that Sec
ton"
Mail SeEviee Discontinued.
q. v. -RawE, attorney for Pamlico
Nxyir he
Postmaster eGenral yesterday after
noon: THE Norfolk Southern Railroad
Company has discontinued passenger
trains SIS and Sc. Newbern to Oriental,
completely paralyzing mail service.
auired teA to be held J a.r over in Newbern New s
from sixteen to forty hours. Mail in
Oriental section required to lie over
from twenty-four to forty-eight
hours. a prompt investigation is re-
Post office officials at Newbern and
Oriental have been directed to report
on the feasibility Of installing tempo
rary mail truck service between the
two places, which are but thirty miles
apart.
kilograms received from the super
intendent of the railway mail service
at Fort Worth, Tex. state that twen-
ty-six trains have been withdrawn on
different branches of the Missouri.
Kansas and Texas railroad, all of
them being railway post Office trains.
with the exception Of two.' which
carry closed pouches.
Omcials Are Cool.
Despite these instances of inter-
ference with the mails. there was a
disposition on the part of Post Office
Department officials today to take
the situation coolly.
Some hold the opinion that the
strikers, in seeking to interfere with
the United States mails. are attempt
ing to bring about situation which
would lead the government on to
take over the roads. Just how far
this opinion is shared is difficult to
state.
Postmaster General Work said he
had instructed the superintendent of
the railway mail service here in
Washington to have divisional in
spectors sent to all points where
railroads had reported disorders by
strikers and to make reports to WASH
ington at once. In many instances,
1t was said. postal inspectors had
failed to verify reports sent to the
department by railway officials. In
Missouri and louisiana, it was ex-
planned, inspectors had found a less
serious situation than had been re-
ported to them.
President to Know Facts.
The Post Office Department will not,
it was said,. recommend drastic action
by federal or state forces at any point
until inspectors have made certain
of the facts as reported
1t was intimated at the Post ONCE
Department early today that the
Postmaster General was prepared to
lay before the President at today's
cabinet. meeting complete report
covering the entire situation relating