Evening star., 1951-02-19
Traiinmen Fined
$4,000 as They
Admit Contempt
Surprise Guilty PIeo
Offered in Sick CuII'
Wulkouts at Yurds
By WiIIiom A. MilIen


posed on the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Trainmen in District Court
today after the union had pleaded
guilty to contempt of court cita-
tions growing out of the recent
NATIONWIDE "sick call" strike Of
yard switchmen.
Under the criminal contempt
charge, Judge Edward A. Tamm
imposed a $50.000 fine and for
civil contempt a $4,000 fine.
The brotherhood already had
drawn a $4,000 fine in Chicago
for the railroad tieup there in
December. Additional contempt of
court actions are pending in Chi
cago and Cleveland in connection
with "sick call" walkouts in jan
uary and February.
The restraining order violated by
the union was Nation wide in its
application.
Strike Was Felt Here.
It ordered the brotherhood, its
lodges, officers and employees "and
all persons acting in concert with
them" to refrain from taking part
in a strike in the railroad systems
of, transportation of the United
States. or from interfering in any
matter. with or offecting the or
derly continuance of work on the
railroad systems and from taking
any action which would interfere
with this courts Jurisdiction"
Because this is the seat of the
Federal Government, it was ex-
planned, District Court has juris-
diction all over the United States
in Federal matters.
Locally the effects of the strike
were felt as a result of walkouts
at the Washington Terminal and
Potomac Yards, Alexandria.
United States Attorney George
Morris Fay. who had recommend
ed the $4,000 fine to Judge
Tamm, said after the sentencing:
This cleans up everything in
this jurisdiction. It. the final
disposition Of. everything in this
area. Action will be taken to ad-
wise the courts in Chicago and
Cleveland of what the Govern
ment's recommendation was here
today"
Dismissal Will Be Asked.
Mr.. Fay told Judge Tamm, in
the course of his argument:
"It is the intention of the Gov
ernment to go before the District
Court in Chicago and advise it
that in the opinion of the Govern
ment the purposes of the law have
been accomplished and to recon-
mend to the District Court in
Chicago that the second contempt
proceeding there should be dis
missed"
The United States Attorney also
told the jurist that similar action
would be taken by the Govern
ment in the Federal Court at
Cleveland.
Courtroom IL Crowded.
After the brotherhood pleaded
guilty this morning, Mr.. Fay an
nounced the Government would
move for dismissal of contempt
charges against the five brother
hood officers and five lodges
named in the local contempt pro-
ceedings after the court imposed
sentence.
He said the only substantial
question remaining was the
amount of punishment to be i'm
posed on the brotherhood.
When Judge Tamm convened
court the courtroom was filled
with union members and officers,
half a dozen Army officers in
uniform, top Government officials
who are running the railroads .,
under presidential order, and top
representatives of the railroads.
Case Covers All Stoppages.
On the surface it appeared that
the trial was ready to proceed. AS
soon as Judge Tamm assembled to
the bench, Edward B. Henslee Of
Chicago. the brotherhood's gen.
eral counsel. arose and announced
that the brotherhood was with
drawing it's plea of mot guilty"
and entering one of guilty" He
explained that this applied to
citations for both civil and
criminal contempt.
Mr.. Hanslee asked Mr.. Fay If
this case covered all the work
stoppages and the United States
attorney replied that it covered
the December. January and Feb
(See STRIKE, Page A-6.)