Evening star., 1944-08-06
Transit Strikers
Ordered Backto
|WorkbyLeaders
Action Follows
Army UItimotum;
! 4Foce Charges
By the Associated Press.

By Inc Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 5.
Leaders of the five-day strike
which has paralyzed Philadel-
phia's transportation system or
dered their followers back to
work tonight in obedience to an
Army ultimatum.
The back-to-work order was
issued in a broadcast which Radio
Station WCAU said was authorized
by James H. McMenamin, chairman
of the strikers General Emergency
Committee" q few minutes before
Mr.. McMenamin was arrested on a
charge Of violating the Smith-Con-
nally Act.
oWithin an hour strikers assembled
at the car barn which had served as
strike headquarters, began signing
up to resume their regular runs.
The first flve to sign were members
Of the Strike Committee, who broke
the news to the men.
The Army's 3rd Service Com.
mand said, Employees are reported
arriving at their stations and az
soon as reports are received, soldier
guards are being dispatched so that
operations can be resumed. Those
reporting back for work are regular
company employees"
Ultimatum Issued by Army.
Thousands of troops had poured
into the city and the Army was
ready to operate the Philadelphia
Transportation Co.'s vehicles itself
unless the men returned to work at
1901 am. Monday.
Three other men also were arrest
ed on Smith -Connally Act violation
charges: william c. Dixey, also ar
rested at the radio station; Frank
P. Carney. president of the PRT
Employees Union. unaffiliated, which
formerly represented company en-
ployes, and Frank Thompson, who
sometimes has been a spokesman for
the strikers. s.>,--a.. ,,,.
Nons Of the four was q member
Of the C1O Transport Workers
Union. It had denounced the strike
which resulted from the promotion
Of eight Negroes to operators jobs.
The four were given immediate hear
ings before United States Commits
stoner Norman j. Grimm.
After the men entered pleas Of
innocence, Mr.. Grifiln told them,
You men have given Philadelphia
one Of the worst weeks in its his
tory. Whatever grievance you had
could have been handled accord
ing to the machinery set up by law.
But you saw fit to do otherwise"
He held them In $2,500 bail each,
which only Thompson was able to
post.
One bus line, serving the Phila-
delphia Naval Hospital, resumed
operations a little more than an
hour before the McMenamin an
nouncement, which said:
Il have my orders from the Army.
AL employees are to go back to work
at their regular posts not later than
1901 am. Monday morning"
First Bus Since Tuesday.
The bus line was the first to run
since Tuesday morning. No trolleys
ran in this city of 2,50O, 900 today
and only 10 trains, compared with
q normal ~, ran on one subway
line. The other subway line did not
operate. Policemen rode on each
train to guard the operators.
Earlier National Selective Service
In washington issued a blunt work
or fight" order cancelling occupa-
tional deferments of all involved in
the strike.
Maj. Gen. Philip Hayes, who
seized the lines Thursday night by
order Of President Roosevelt,
warned that any Of the 5000 strikers
who failed to return would be fired
at once" and said armed soldiers
will ride as guards on every bus,
trolley. subway or elevated train
that runs over this system"
Soldiers will be used only to op-
crate vehicles which otherwise
would remain idle" Gen. Hayes
said.
Gen. Hayes threw the full weight
OF Federal law and might at the
strikers In climactic effort to end
an unauthorized stoppage that has
slashed vital war production, caused
(See TRANSIT, Page A-6.)