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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 13, 1920)
TIIE MORXIXC OREGOXIAX, TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1920 U. S. ACT II STRIKE IE DATA mm m Agents of Department Justice Investigating. of RAIL LABOR BODY NAMED Wilson, to Send Appointments to Senate Today for Approval. Solution Seen in Law. WASHINGTON. April 12. (By the Associated Press.) Determination of the government's course in the rail road strike crisis tonight awaited further information from department of justice agents. Attorney-General Palmer, after conferences with gov ernment officials, said a decision mightbe reacned tomorrow,' adding that the "government would not shirk its responsibility." Meanwhile, White House officials tonight announced that President Wilson would send to the senate to morrow names of nine members of the railway labor board, created by the transportation act. Nominations had been delayed, it was- added, by time taken in selecting representa tives of the public on the board to in sure getting the right men. Men selected for that group had not signified tonight their willingness to act, it was said. Ancney Held Effective. Kramers of the transportation act, including Chairman Cummins of the senate interstate commerce commit tee, were firm in the opinion that the labor board would prove an effective agency to deal with the railroad crisis. For that reason his committee deferred action on" proposals for a congressional inquiry into the strike. The government today sent orders through the postoffice department to its inspectors and railway mail of ficials for prompt reports on any ob struction or delay of the mails. The department of justice would be asked for immediate prosecutions under statutes governing mail trans portation, the telegrams stated. Data on Illgher-upa Sought. Delay in formulating a programme for government action under the Lever food control act was said by department of Justice officials to be due to a desire for fuller knowledge as to the agencies wHich caused the unauthorized walkouts. Many official reports from strike centers have in dicated activity of the Industrial Workers of the World, and officials said that it was proposed to deter mine whether this or any other or ganization was carrying out a pro gramme that would bring it within .'ederal statute. Mr. Palmer declared that if federal ctlon was taken, the government .-ould not enter the controversy as a upporter of either side. Its action, e said, would be governed by its re ponsibility to the people. It was ndicated again that the department night employ criminal statutes if it decided on legal proceedings. I. W. W. Fomentation ltrportcd. Agents of the department reported I. W. W. fomentation" in a score of places, officials declared. They were said also to have revealed that mem bers were offering financial and mor al support to the strikers. Officials also had under considera tion measures for feeding communi ties which might be cut off by the strike. Federal district attorneys and field agents were instructed to deal with individuals and firms "making exor bitant profits out of the situation" under the profiteering statutes. With respect to movement of the mailB, and emergency iood supplies, Mr. Palmer said it had been suggested that the government resort to motor transportation, if necessary. The transport service of the army is ready to move "to the aid of any city imperiled" by the strike, accord Ins to announcement by the council of national defense. "The outlaw movement is disintegrat ing." R. D. Murphy,-a strike leader, de clared original demands "stand aa first presented", and that wage in crease "must go into effect upon the return of the men to work." "The Chicago Managers' association must come to us," he said, "and all negotiations must be li the open. We do not expect any intervention on the Prt of the government. There will always be tome one to take Grunau's place if they arrest him." Following the first big break in the strike at Columbus, where 600 switch men on Sunday voted to return, strik ers in other cities today returned to duty or decided to go back tomorrow. SOO at, Dayton doit Strike. At Dayton, O., SOO switchmen voted to ejd the strike tomorrow, while in Byrmcuse, swrtchmen on the New York Central and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroads de cided to return tomorrow. At Saginaw. Mich., 100 railroad workers were back and 60 employes of the Grand Trunk railroad returned at Battle Creek. Strike ranks were augmented by walkouts at Bay City, Mich.; Chey enne, Wyo., and several places In the east. ) Passenger service was reported normal in St. Louis and the strike of yardmen was said to be waning. At Pittsburg, an embargo was placed on all freight shipments origi nating on the Pennsylvania lines and on all connecting roads. With no set tlement of the strike in sight at De trot, the Detroit Kdison company shut off electrical energy to factories late today. About half the city's manu facturing establishments would be affected, it was announced. 1000 More at Pittsburg; Ont One thousand employes at Pitts burg today joined the 4000 strikers, and 500 shopmen struck at New castle. Strike conditions at Phila delphia were reported worse and at Indianapolis the strikers' ranks were unbroken. Chairman Cummins of the senate interstate commerce committee an nounced that the investigation of tha strike by his committee, scheduled to begin tomorrow, would' not bo con ducted now. as It was desired to give the new railroad labor board an op portunity to settle the strike. The postoffice department declared action would be taken if movement of mails was obstructed. In a statement tonight, railroad of ficials entering Chicago said: "The strike situation in Chicago continued to improve today. In creases were reported in the num ber of switching crews working and in the tonnage of livestock, coal and other commodities moved. "The passenger and suburban train service to and from Chicago con tinued unaffected." Striking switchmen and yardmen here were planning to go back to work as soon as they can arrange to go in a body, A. F. Whitney, vice president of he Brotherhood of Train men, said tonight. Mr. Whitney said committees of strikers from the Illinois Central, the Northwestern, the Chicago, Burling ton & Quincy and the Chicago, Mil waukee & St. Paul roads consulted with htm today. XBV MEN" : ARE EMPLOYED GOTHAM SmUTON STRIKE HALTS INDUSTRIES (Continued From First Page.) and that embargoes had been partly lifted. The general managers' association denied that any negotiations were be ing carried on with the outlaw, yard' men's association, and stated no par ley would be entered into. Contract Declared Void. In requesting negotiations looking toward the end of the strike, Presi dent Granau of the yardmen s asso ciation said contracts the railroads have with the Brotherhood" of Rail road Trainmen and the Switchmen's Union of North America did not ap ply to membership in his union. Ha denied that the strike was illegal. "The brotherhood chiefs who were accused should come with - clean hands," he said. "The Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen took a strike vote in secret two weeks ago. Ballots were cast at 140 points and authorized brotherhood officers to call a strike if demands for increased pay and bet ter working conditions were not granted. If our strike, called in the open, is illegal, what do they call tactics like that?" J. A. Farquharson. an officer of the Brotherhood of Railroad Train men, -said Grunau's charge was "a fabrication." A. F. Whitney, vice-president of the brotherhood of Railroad Train men, leader in the union's campaign in Chicago against the insurgents, said that the crux of the strike had come and that the rebel movement was weakening. Outlaw Move Held on Wane. "The men realize they have no leadership and that nothing" is to be gained by remaining out," he said. 'S GROWS DAILY WORSE Strike Is Developing Hard ships for Thousands. FOOD SUPPLY DWINDLING Few Shipments of Commodities Manage to Get In Freight Service Paralyzed. supply crews for milk trains. Thef strikers declared they were "not fighting babies, the ill and the poor." TRAFFIC IS NEAR NORMAL tContinued From Firat Page.) lion of the Spokane. Portland & Seat tle and the Oregon Electric systems. However, it was anticipated that there would soon be action that would relieve the situation speedily. W. J. Babe, representing the brotherhoods, said last night that "everything Is going along all right," but declined to go into details be fore receiving reports from his as sociates, which he was hourly expecting. Pacific Coast Conditions Itejorte -"Steadily Improving." SAN FRANCISCO, April 13. Condi tions iu the Pacific coast states, aris ing from the unauthorized strike of railroad switchmen, were reported to night as "steadily improving" by rail road company officials, while leaders of the men on strike contended they were "holding their own." Switchmen to replace those- who walked out were obtained in sub stantial numbers by the Southern Pa cific during the day at San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Or.; Sacra mento, San Jose, Stockton and other rail centers, company officials said tonight. Freight was moved today in San Francisco yards for the first time since the strike began. "The situation is highly satisfac tory," said a report issued from the offices of J. H. Dyer, general man ager of the Southern Pacific system. "There has been a marked improve ment at all points. It will only be a few days before normal service is re stored." Meetings of striking switchmen were held tonight in San Francisco, Oakland, Stockton and Spokane, ac cording to word received by leaders; of the strikers here. Some freight was being moved in Oregon over the Southern Pacific and the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation company lines, according to company officials, who said four switching crews were working in the yards of each line. MINES NEAR BISBEE " "CLOSE Freight' and Ore Shipments Inter rupted, hy Strike. BTSBEE, Ariz., April 12. All mines 'in the Warren district deriving power from the Bisbee Improvement com pany were closed down . in order to conserve fuel when 30 yardmen of the El Paso & Southwestern railway walked out this afternoon. Mines of the Copper Queen and the Calumet & Arizona companies, hav ing their own power plants, are op erating. Ndfreight or ore trains to day were moving to or from the dis trict. .Passenger- and mail service also was interrupted. NEW YORK, April 12. The strike of railroad workers here tonight pre sented the most menacing situation the city, has faced since the unauthor ized walkout began. Freight service virtually was paralyzed and passen ger service, already curtailed, was further crippled. Today United States troops weni 10 Jersey City to unload stranded man trains and department oi J"--" agents extended their investigations all over the New Tork area. The situation tonight was: Only freight shipments received were "specials" of solid food trains brought from Chicago by the New York Central and a few cars which crept in over the New Haven and Pennsylvania roads. Mail-train schedules were generally disrupted and motor trucks were used. Hundreds of thousands of com muters living in New Jersey were un able to reach their places of business in New York. First Violence Reported. Strike sympathizers committed their first act of violence when an iron bar was hurled through the window of a Central Railroad of New Jersey train, injuring a passenger. Crews of four mail trains of the Erie were attacked at Port Jarvis, N. Y.. and railroad of ficials announced Port Jarvis was controlled by strikers. Timothy Shea, first vice-president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, arrived here, accompanied by, J. G. Walker, secretary of the bureau of information of the eastern railroads, to arrange a joint confer ee of railroad managers and the four railroad brotherhoods. Other la hnr leaders were here. Mayor Hague of Jersey City, who had expressed sympathy for the strikers . annealed to them to arbi trate. Warniner was issued by Llndley M. rtarrisnn. federal receiver of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit company that agitators were urging employes of rapid transit lines in New York to trike. Food Supply Dwindling;. Railroad officials sought in vain to learn the source of maintenance or the strikers. The , department of justice began an inventory oi rooa stores ana uig warehouses, searching for hoarders. Meat dealers announced an increase ol cent a pound in wholesale prices. C. P. Wallace, president of the fruit and produce exchange, commission merchants and market men said per ishable food gradually was being ex hausted and the situation was becom ing grave. Railroad officials announced that committees would be organized to visit families of the strikers and urge that they advise their "bread win ners"' to return to work. Strikers at a meeting in Jersey City tonight refused to listen to Mr. Shea when he tried to urge them to return to work pending a settlement. Each time he attempted to speak "hisses and booes" drowned out his voice. A striker shouted: "Shut up, sit down or get out!" "Millionaire Special" Hun. It was learned at the Lackawanna offices that a "millionaire special" was run from Hoboken to Morristown, N. J., late today. The train was manned, except the engineer and con ductor, by five wealthy residents of Morristown. Strikers on the New York Central and New Haven roads have agreed to ASPIRIN FOR HEADACHE Name "Bayer" is on Genuine Aspirin say Bayer M Insist on "Bayer Tab.on of Aspirin" In a "Bayer package," containing proper directions for Headache, Colds, Pain. Neuralgia, Lumbago, and Rheu matism. Name "Bayer" means genu ine Aspirin prescribed by physicians lor nineteen years. Handy tin boxes of 12 tablets cost few cents. Aspirin is trade mark of Bayer Manufacture of Monoacetlcacidester ot Salicyllca cld. Adv. ; Spokane Situation Doubtful. SPOKANE, Wash., April 12. Con flicting reports that .Northern Pa clrlc railroad switchmen to the num ber of 60 had voted to go on strik" tomorrow morning, together with in dications that switchmen and yard men of the Oregon-Washington Rail road & Navigation company and. the Chicago, ' Milwaukee & St. Paul were awaiting action of the Northern Pa cific men, were, developments la tb railroad strike situation in Spokane tonight. - Salt Lake Car Shops Closed. SALT LAKE CITY, V tab... April 12. Because of the strike of switchmen and yardmen employed by the com pany, the cax repair shop of the Den ver & Rio Grande railroad here closed late today and about 600 em ployes were laid off. .Strikers here today numbered approximately 6QQ. S24 at St, Louis Resume Work. ST. LOUIS, April 12. The first break in the yardmen's strike in St. Louis came - tonight with the an noujicement that 324 switchmen in the employ of the Missouri Pacific railroad here would return to work tomorrow. LIVIXG WAGE IS DEMANDED Statemerft Issued by Striking Yard men at The Dalles. THE DALLES, Or., April 12. (Spe cial.) With the declaration that their wages of $5.11 a day were wholly in adequate to meet the increased prices and asserting that they had been put off with broken promises long enough, a committee of the striking yardmen composed of J. E. Merritt, J. J. Bowea and C. E. Amsberry, local switch men, gave out the following statement here today: "For the last two years we have been living on promises, and have still remained loyal to our country. With the cost of living continuing to rise and the brotherhood officials re maining stagnant, the pressure "va becom'n unbearable, so a new or ganization was formed for the sol purpose of a betterment of conditions. This step was taken for the reason that in the past Mr. Lee. president of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, ana the government promised either an increase In wages or a decrease in the cost of living, but as usual neither kept the promises. Hence, the Inter national Yardmen's association was formed. All we are asking Is a living wage to cover the conditions of the present time." The other side of developments in the strike is a manifesto Issued by the railroads, which said: "Strikers who h.ve not returned to work are being replaced by new men. This work will be swiftly and vigorously followed until normal service is re stored. The strike was without no tice to the railroads. It Is not au thorized by any railroad brotherhood. It violates working agreements and rules of the brotherhoods to which the men belong, as well as the law of the United States, the transportation act of 1920. "It is in defianoe of the orders of the railroad brotherhoods and has neither the sympathy nor support of the overwhelming majority of rail road employes. New men will be given seniority rights in-order of em ployment. Wages are 64 cents an hour for eight hours a day and 96 cents an hour for overtime.. Good board and lodging are arranged .for at the job. Protection is assured." Protection will not be required, ac cording to local strikers. This strike, said J. E. Merritt, Is not a demonstra tion of I. W. W. or bolsheviki. CLEVELAND PRICES CO UP BIDDING FOR AVAILABLE FOOD STOCKS IS IITEIiX. Switchmen's Strike Spreads to Car Repairers and 2 00 Quit He turn Urged by Leaders. CLEVELAND. O., April 13. The switchmen's strike spread tonight to the car repairers, one of the six shop crafts affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, 200 of whom walked out in the Collinwood shops of the New York Central. Cleveland railroad terminals tonight were tied up, not a switchman or yardman be ing at work. The car repairers quit to enforce demands for 67 cents and 72 cents an hour and in sympathy with striking switchmen. Passenger, mall and milk trains continued to move on almost normal schedules. . I Butchers, mirketmen and grocers outbid each other for available stocks in local packing house and commis sion markets, prices in many In stances reaching new high levels. Meat prices' jumped 2 to 5 cents a pound and vegetables from $1 to $3 a crate Over Saturday. Nearly 400 members of five local lodges of the brotherhood of railroad men were advised by Samuel Gom pers, president of the American Fed eration of Labor, and W. G. Lee, presi dent of the brotherhood, to remain loyal to their union principles, carry out orders of their leaders and help smash the "Insurgents." He said he was In sympathy with tne men s wage demands, but opposed iu tne metnoa used by the strikers. jn leaving .he meeting manvmen saia tney were In doubt, some said they would be back tomorrow and others declared they would stay out until tne railroads came across with more money. ' Secretary of Labor Wilson was re quested to send federal conciliators nere. YARDMEN REPUDIATE STRIKE Southern Pacific Employes Against Anything Radical at Present. EUGENE, Or., April 12. (Special.) Decisive action was taken on the strike question" by the Southern Pa cific yardmen here at a meeting Sun day afternoon. By a vote of 7 to 2 the yardmen at the Blair Boulevard terminals repudiated the action of the "rebels" who are striking all over the country. The sentiment among the men here, it was brought out at the meeting, was that they are against anything of a radical nature -at the. present time. One of them declared they could see no reason why they should follow the lead of the radical element and cause the innocent to suffer because of the lack of food. ' The men here are. also quoted as being of the belief that to strike now would cripple industry. They declare that there is nothing to strike for. AUT0IST$ TO BE INVITED itoseburgr Council Prepares or Visit of Northwest Caravan. ROSEBURG, Or, April 12. (Soe stai.j A special meeting of the city council was held tonight to locate accommodations for the northwestern automobile caravan which Is to be hero on May 19 or 20. This caravan will be one of the big affairs of the year and it has been proposed to put the fairgrounds In condition for vis itors on that date. It was suggested by members of the Merchants' associ ation this afternoon that the straw berry carnival be arranged to in clude the date set for autoists to be here as the advertising feature for Douglas county will be well worth looking after. The city will make every provision for entertaining the caravan and a special invitation for them to make this city their rendez vous sent at once. Rains Please Farmers. UMATILLA, Or., April 12. (Spe cial.) The late heavy rains have given a brighter prospect to farmers who expected a crop failure, on ac count of a water shortage. The ground Is thoroughly saturated and shows evidence of abundant moisture. The alfalfa is making an excellent showing. Many farmers have had to reseed their new fields as many as three times this spring, owing to the high winds, but the late rains insure better prospects for the future. iiiiiiiiiiwiiiiiifliia I CONTROLLED I POWER I The power of the Pierce -Arrow Dual Valve Sixf mighty as it is, carries no cle ment of danger. Creating this added motive force without increasing the size or the number 'of cylinders is no .greater achievement than placing that power under the absolute control of the man behind the wheel. The Power available is limitless; the power used is whatever the driver decides. To crawl along at three miles an hour, breeze along at thirty, or burn up the road at seventy five, is optional with the operator the Pierce Arrow simply complies. CHAS. C. FAGAN CO., Inc. Exclusive Distributors PIERCE-ARROW Motor Cars and Motor Trucks Ninth and Burnside . Phone Broadway 4693 Jl Jl iiJl ARROW DUAL VAEVE STX fallllilillllllillllillli mm Memorial to Be Improved. " ' SALEM, Or., April 12 (Special.) The state board of control at a spe cial meeting here today placed in the sidered hands of P. H. D'Arcy and George H. Hlnes the matter of making improve ments to the memorial building at Champoeg, authorized at the 1919 ses sion ot the legislature. Approxi mately $5000 is now available for this work. Tne present facilities are con- inadequate and it is under stood that most of the money will be expended on the main building and in the construction of a fence. ' Kelso Operator to Leave. KELSO, Wash., April 12. (Special.) -W. K. Dickenson, operator at the Kelso railway station for several years,' will leave this week for Gate City, Wash., where he will be station agent. Mr. Dickenson is one of the oldest emplcjes on the division in point of service. He has been suc ceeded here temporarily by Mrs. H. . Swishr. Prisoners to Be Deported. TACOMA, Wash.. April 12. George and Diego Putnam, released frojn McNeil Island penitentiary, were ta ken to Seattle today by immigration officers who stated the men would be deported. They are natives ofTJo livia and had been sentenced follow ing conviction for violation of the Harrison anti-drug act. Pi ' I f 3000 at Columbus Vote Strike. COLUMBUS. O., April 12. The Co lumbus Yardmen's association, com posed of nearly 3000 striking switch men here, late today voted to call out on strike tonight all switching crews employed in this city to handle pas senger traffic. 09 6 on "Pennsy" Line Out. PHILADELPHIA, April 12. The Pennsylvania Railroad company an nounced tonight. that 6096 employes of all classes are on strike on its sys tem between New Tork and St. Louis. Republicans to Meet April XI. SPOKANE, Wash., April 12. The republican county convention will be held here April 17, it. was decided at a meeting of republicans here today. WET OR DRY Milkisthefoodofchil dren and old people. Combined with cereals it makes the ideal ration but if your stomach does not take kindly to milk pour a little hot water over two Shredded Wheat Biscuits, put a small chunk of butter on each Biscuit, allowing it to melt into the shreds. If you like the Biscuit "dry" split it into two halves and crisp them in the oven and eat them with butter a real whole wheat toast, wholesome and nourishing 1 i THE STRIKE OF THE SWITCHMEN To the Public : Strikers who have, not returned to work are being re placed by new men. This work will be swiftly and vigor ously followed until no,rmal service is restored. The strike was without notice to the railroad. It is not authorized by any railroad brotherhood. It violates work ing agreements, violates the rules of the brotherhoods to which the men belong, and violates the law of the United States (Section 301, Transportation Act of 1920). It is in defiance of the orders of the railroad brother hoods' executives, and has neither the sympathy nor sup port of the majority of railroad employes. New men will be given seniority rights in order of employment, wages are sixty-four cents an hour for eight hours' work a day and ninety-six cents an hour for overtime. Good board and lodging are arranged for at the jobs. Protection assured Apply to Superintendent,; Room 32, Section , Floor Union Station, Portland. (Signed) SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPANY. J. H.' DYER, General Manager.