Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-16
Textile WaIkout Launched;
Violence Rises in South
Train DeroiIed
On Struck Line
In T Tennessee
By the Associated Press

Another major strike darkened
the Nations labor front today as
some $4,000 textile workers in
four New England States struck
in a dispute over wages.
New violence and damage was
reported in the two big continue
ing strikes in the South. These
two costly walkouts, which
started March IA. affect thou
sands of telephone and railroad
workers as well as workers in
some related industries.
The Clio Textile Workers
Union struck in % cotton textile
mills in Maine, Massachusetts,,
Rhode Island and Vermont. The
workers stayed away in support
Of demands for a new contract
and refused to take a 10-cents-
an-hour cut in wages and fringe
benefits.
Rail Strike to Widen
Some 81 other mills have
agreed to renew contracts. The
workers now receive an average
Of $1.30 an hour. The minimum
wage is $1.09l2.
The new violence was reported
in the strike by about $4,000
operating employees of the
Louisville & Nashville railroad.
Meanwhile, National Mediation
Board members in Washington
continued efforts to end the
walkout.
But the presidents of two
other striking unions, the
Railroad Yardmasters of Amer
lea and the American Train
Dispatches Association, today
called strikes against the l.. & N.
for noon Monday.
! This action was disclosed in 8
telegram sent to- the National
Mediation Board and the l.. g. N.
The Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Firemen and Enginemen
and the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen announced yesterday
they would strike against the
L. g. N. Monday.
The derailment Of a passen-
ger train near Nashville, Tenn,
last night, in which 80 passen-
gers were shaken up, was called
sabotage by a rail official.
Dixie Flyer DeraiIed.
Nine cars Of the northbound
Dixie Flyer of the strike crippled
Nashville. Chattanooga g. st.
Louis railroad were derailed. The
line. as well as the Clinchfieid.
the Western of Alabama and the
Georgia and West Point rail-
roads, are subsidiaries of the l..
& N. and affected by the strike.
which has cut deep into the
economic life of the South.
Gov. Frank Clement of Ten
nessee ordered the States law
enforcement agencies to assist
In the investigation of the de-
railment.
Fred Whittemore, general SUI
perintendent of the N. G. g. st. L.,
said he had asked the FBI to
investigate the derailment. He
said it was definitely sabotage"
Joints were removed from the
track and angle bars and other
track appliances were found adj
jacent to the track on the right
of-way, he said.
Charge Disputed
T. G. Gregg, vice chairman Of
nom operating strike team.
said "as far as ] am concerned,
until someone proves that some
of our people are involved, I will
never agree that they are"
The railroad workers struck in
support of demands for health
and welfare benefits primarily
and provision for compulsory
health insurance.
More damage also was re-
ported in connection with the
walkout by CLIO Communication
Workers of America tCWA)
against the Southern Bell Tele-
phone Co. in nine States. An
undetermined number of the
$4,000 eligible employees
are taking part in the strike.
which started in nine Southern
States after failure to agree or a
new contract.
Nearly $4,000 CIO United