The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-08-07


 Most of the workers returned to their jobs willingly, but there was some grumbling among those who resent the Philadelphia Transporta- tion Company's upgradlng of eight Negro employees as trainees for operators. The company had ordered the Negroes trained at the direction of the war manpower commission and the fair employment practices committee. That caused the strike.
 No Comment
 Army officials refused to comment on the status of the Negro trainees, but 1t was taken for granted that the army upheld the WING and the FEPC and the Negroes would con. tinue with their training.
 The arrest of four leaders of the strike also contributed to the speed of the back-to-work movement. James IF. McMenamin, spokesman for the strikers, William Dixey, also known as Dixon. vice chairman of the strikers executive committee, Frank Carney, and Frank Thomp. son were at Liberty under Ie,500 bail each for a hearing Aug. l4 on charges of violating the Smith-Con- nally anti-strike act They were are rested Saturday night on warrants authorized by U. s. Attorney Ger. aid A. Gleeson after an tlvestigas ton by the justice department and the federal bureau of investigation.
 The army announced that Mc- Menamin. Thompson. Carney and Dixey had been dismissed from the company's employ when they re- ported for work this morning.
 No reason was given for the action.
 They were handed dismissal slips by the company barn supertn- tendents when they reported. and were permitted to take belongings from their lockers before leaving.
 McMenaEnin after his arrest urged the strikers to return, but Gleeson said his change of attitude would not affect the prosecution.
 We will pull no punches" Glee- son said. These arrests were not made on the spur of the moment"
 Giees0n and Henry 6chweinhaut. special assistant to Attorney Gem eral Francis Riddle. were preparing for the opening of the grand jury investigation Wednesday.
 "Otheg Persons"
 GIeeson said he would ask the jury to indict the four leaders al. ready under arrest, and indicated that "otheF persons" also would be named. He said enough witnesses already had been subpoenaed to take up the whole day Wednesday.
 Several officials of the transport ation company will be called before the jury, Gleeson said. Others will probably include officials of the CLOS Transport Workers Union, which has charged that the Trans t Company was iD collusion with the strikers. The CIO group, which recently won . collective bargain ing agency election among the Transit employees. did not autheFize the strive.
 Up to last night. it was estimated that the strike cost approximately 300. 900 man work hours tn var pro. duction, Maj. Gen. Philip Hayes. commanding officer Of the Sd servs ice command. Baltimore. who gas named by Stimson to operate the transit system, had described the strike leaders as working for the enemy"
 Strongest sCgsek- DewnS
 His ultimatum issued late Eaturs day was one of the strongest crack downs ever administered ln . labor controversy, It blunby told the workers to return or the troops would operate the carriers; tt lll. formed the strikers that their oe. eupational draft defeFments were being cancelled; that f they didn't return to work, they would lose their jobs for the duration; thst nN other company would be permitted to hire them.
 He gave them until 1901 today to make up their minds, Most of the workers, however, ald not wait until the deadllne, They begap sebeeklng ip" soon after the ultl' metum vas Issued and returned D e steady procession yesterday
 By mid-afteTH00n, transportation was about 80 percent normal, Early last night it had jumped to 6s peFS eeDtBy ] a, m, today, the arpy ells n0uneed It was little more than 95 percent, end the 100 percent was reached at q 2, nl,-ususily the low peak Of business for the carriers,
 GFaa1 News
 Et was great news feE ehlleaelv phlaDs, who had been getting te EheiV work, tf at all, ln the best Way possible for almost 2 week, Thou' sands preferred to stay home, me elty's business als0 seriously yes hammered, The usual Saturday crowds on busy market and Ghests nut streets were merely 8 Hlekie,
 There also Was rejoicing among the thirsty, Tt was reported thal tspv00nlg and llqnoE stores would be permitted 10 reopen today They WeTe closed shortly after the strike started,
 AT scheduled vacations f0E thG transit employees have been ean' esllea. Hayes also sent telegFagns te employees already 0D vacation, Ask' lne them t0 volunteer to work, Some troops were given instructions yes' taFday on heW to operate trolley cars, but t was believed lt would not be necessary foT soldiers to take over the controls,
 10 his ultimatuln, Hayes had saldi we cannot shell any Germans eE Japs pith troops who drive transit ..alainlnn laa nlnlLa Aall.laia 2