Evening star., 1951-01-31

way Express Agency, acting in
the face of a wildcat strike
of railroad switchmen. today
clamped an embargo on rail
express shipments between IA
Northeastern States and the
rest of the Nation.
Union Station switching crews
Joined mushrooming wildcat
strike of railroad yardmen over
the Nation today, disrupting the
normal flow of traffic at one of
the Nations busiest terminals.
At the sprawling Potomac Yards
in Alexandria, crews reported as
usual this morning, but officials
there recalled that they had con-
tinued to work during the early
stages of a similar December strike
and then walked out.
AS the stoppage spread to eight
key cities and at least 18 rail-
roads in "a hours, an Army
spokesman warned that it threat
ened serious effects" to war ship
ments. The Army has been oper-
ating the railroads since an earlier
strike threat last August.
The Army spokesman said an
Injunction issued in Chicago Fed
eral Court during the December
strike still is in effect. A hearing
will be held in Chicago Friday on
that strike prohibiting injunc-
tlon and contempt proceedings
brought against the union.
Chicago Is Hit Hardest.
Elsewhere hundreds of railroad
men failed to report for work at
Chicago, Detroit, st. Louis, Mil
waukee, Buffalo, Peoria, Ill, and
Portland, Greg.
Hardest hit was Chicago, where
two belt lines shutting freight
between yar<S of different rail-
roads, declared an embargo on all
freight handled for % railroads
and several hundred big indus
tries. Freight cars were piled up
in all yards and one steel company
laid off 1900 workers.
Washington became involved in
the strike last night when brake
men. sWitchmen and conductors
OF the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen began calling in sick.
By 8 am. today, 200 of the 285
yardmen employed by the Wash
lngton Terminal Co. had been af-
hicted with the 'malady" and tele-
phoned their intentions of taking
the day off.
Many Passengers Transferred.
Despite the shutdown of switch
ing facilities, Sidney Kerl, termi-
nal company superintendent, said
the railroads were continuing to
make contact at Union Station
with all trains.
However, it was necessary for
many passengers to transfer at
Baltimore for other trains. and
north-south trains were compelled
to load and unload Washington
passengers at Alexandria. Buses
were used to shuttle the passengers
between Union Station and Alex
andria.
Mail service, hopelessly snarled
in the Christmas rush during a
three-day strike in December.
figured to weather this one better
unless other complications set in.
Postal Officials Prepared.
With the strike originating in
Chicago yesterday, and spreading
to other large cities, postal Off
cials could see what was coming
and made their plans accordingly.
Nair G. Maxson, head of the
Postal Transportation Service
here, said most first-class mail
will be moved, with slight delays.
Parcel post is another story, how
ever, and is almost certain to pile
up despite the use of trucks to
haul much of it. he said.
Railway Express began notify
ing customers at $50 am. that
all shipments were being accepted
subject to delay. c. L. Daniel,
Washington superintendent, said
no decision had been made on an
embargo.
Before noon, shipments of all
except perishable goods were run
ming six hours late. That meant
the company, handicapped be-
cause cars could be loaded only
on trains and not at the freight
terminal, was able to ship only
perishables, and other goods were
piling up.
The New York Central can
(See STRIKE. Page A-5.)