Evening star., 1952-03-12
E|klarf
Crews Refuse 10
End Rail Strike
Cleveland TO Chicago.
Traffic on New York
Central Blocked
By the As.oe;o,ed Pres.

BY the Assoeiotsd Press
CLEVELAND, Mar. 12.-Defiant
railroad workers at Toledo. Ohio,
and Elkhart. Ind, refused to end
their strike today, blocking New
York Central main line trafic
from Cleveland to Chicago.
At all other points. however. the
strike appeared over.
In Toledo 500 workers shouted
out against union orders to re-
turn to their jobs and said they
would form a new union of their
own.
Pickets were still stationed at
five places at the sprawling yards
in Elkhart. The walkout there
made about 1900 employees idle.
Workers at both points were to
meet again today on the question
of whether to the strike.
Full Crews Report Elsewhere.
Three brotherhoods ods-engineers,
conductors and flremen-called OF
the strike yesterday on orders from
a Federal court judge.
The strike was directed against
New York Central lines west Of
Buffalo and the st. Louis Term
inal lines.
In Chicago. the NYC said that
despite the two bottlenecks, a
train would be started for New
York over its main tracks at 3
pm. (CST) today.
The crack Pacemaker and ad-
vance Commodore Vanderbilt will
|be combined for the run and op-
lerated with supervisory personnel
unless the Elkhart and Toledo
situation clears UP in the mean
time. 1t was said.
A spokesman at Cleveland for
the three unions said officials had
been sent to Toledo and Elkhart
to try to get the men back on
their jobs. The trouble, he added,
appeared to be centered at To-
ledo.
The New York Central said that
except for Elkhart and Toledo,
virtually full crews were reporting
at all points involved In the dis
pute which started Sunday. The
st. Louis Terminal also resumed
operations.
Many Return Grudgingly.
Many Of those strikers who did
climb back aboard the locomotives
and cars did so grudgingly. know
ing their strike had gained them
nothing but a loss Of pay, the road
and unions conceded.
In Toledo there was outright
revolt. Five hundred die-hard
strikers shouted down q brother
hood officer urging them to re-
turn, quit their brotherhoods in
a body and decided to form a new
union.
The new organization would be
called the Model Railroad Club.
Mad wasn't the word for those
men," said H. A. Porch, interna-
tional vice president of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen, telling about how
he was hooted down at last nights
meeting.
Angry Meetings Held.
In Elkhart. union leaders still
were trying to persuade the
strikers to 60 back. Charles
O'Day Of washington. represent
ing the firemen. said: "The men
want some assurance for settle.
ment of this dispute. which has
been pending for more than two
years"
Picket lines also were main
tanned for hours and angry meet
|ings were conducted at such
points as Cleveland, Niles. Mich; /;
Buffalo and Chicago last night
before it was decided to quit strik-
ing.
The return-to-work order was
sent out by strike leaders q few
hours after Federal Judge Em-
erich B. Freed's granting Of q re-
|straining order yesterday to the
Army, which has controlled the
railroads since August. 1850.
The orders were signed by
Chiefs J. p. Shields of the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive En-
|gineers, David B. Robertson OF
the firemen and r. O. Hughes OF
the Order Of Railway Conductors.
Fines or Prison Possible.
Refusal to obey Judge Freed's
order could mean fines or impris-
.onment.
BY issuing his order yesterday,
Judge Freed caused the collapse
|of a strike which the New York
Central had estimated was cost
ing 81 million in daily revenues.
In addition to the 5000 strikers,
81, 900 other 'NYC employees had
been laid on. They win be taken
back as fast as they can be alb
sorbed, NYC spokesmen said.
Some plants notably in Cleve-
land had laid on several thou-
sand workers. and coal mine OPP
orators in Southern Ohio and
Illinois were starting to worry.
The unions compliance with the
order does not mean court action
has ended.
The next step win be q hearing
on q temporary injunction March
10, two days before the restraining
order expires. II the Army and
Government get that. they win
ask for q permanent injunction.
outlaWing railroad strikes fot an
indefinite period.