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Show NEWS REVIEW OF CURRENT EMS Insurgent Switchmen Call a Strike in Defiance of Regular Unions and Force Tie-Up, FRENCH TROOPS IN GERMANY Japanese Take Vladivostok and Will Stay in Siberia The Rent Situation Situa-tion in America Liberals Gain In Denmark Lakes-to-Sea Ship Canal Project Up. By E. F. CLIPSON. The railroad strike which started in Chicago and became acute coincident with the Easter blizzard, spread rapidly rap-idly until nearly every prominent rail center in the country was affected. The first few days found traffic seriously seri-ously disorganized around the Great Lakes and some other portions of the middle West by the double results cf the storm and the wTa!kout. From the beginning it was evident that the labor trouble was not one directly involving the men and their employers, but was an Internal fight taking on the characteristics char-acteristics of civil war among the unions themselves. Starting with a rebellion of radical elements among switchmen against the authority of the Brotherhood of Railroad Rail-road Trainmen and the Switchmen's union of North America, it spread and was supported by similar elements in other branches of railway employment. Insurgent switchmen, however, formed the center of the movement and the other railway unions were involved to a lesser extent. Many enginemen, firemen fire-men and others were forced to stop work, but it appears that few of them walked out voluntarily. They were rendered Idle by the action of the switchmen. The strike was unauthorized, n breach of contract, and received no sanction from brotherhood officials. In fact, it was condemned at once by the regular officials and their organizations organi-zations to the extent that they have aided in every way its suppression, even going to the unprecedented length of authorizing strike breakers and sanctioning the employment of men from other unions to take the places of the striking switchmen. Many switchmen have stood by their regular organizations refusing to take any part tacitly or otherwise In the outlaw action. During the worst periods of the trouble probably 50 per cent of the switchmeD have been at work and loyal in their sentiments to the regular organization. Taking into consideration others also loyal in sentiment but Intimidated by the radicals, rad-icals, it becomes evident that a substantial sub-stantial majority was opposed to the strike. Among the other important unions the percentage of "regulars" has been much higher than among the switchmen. Responsible unionism has been under un-der fire and has borne a heavy attack with the public, as usual, the chief sufferer. The whole railroad wage question was scheduled for early consideration con-sideration and a complete hearing under un-der the new railroad law. The strike was a virtual serving of notice that the Insurgents cared nothing for the law and would not wait for a hearing In effect a defiance of responsible unionism, law and the public. At least, so it ls regarded by the officials of railway brotherhoods, employers and public sentiment so far as it can be gleaned. In the strike are clearly reflected the borrowed doctrines of European Eu-ropean radicals, and many observers profess to see the direct results of propaganda by the Russian "Third Internationale" In-ternationale" and its most prominent sentimental proponent in this country the I. W. YV. After a few Jays of the strike railway rail-way officials were .claiming in. a few instances almost normal restoration of 'raffie and In general, conditions 40 to HO per cent of normal. Rut the whole country has been hampered with a curtailment of the movement of food, fuel, perishable commodities and ' practically all the necessaries of life. f',nip!oymont has been affected with a consequent lessening of production, contributing to further increase in prices and the cost of living. But since responsible unionism has been under direct attack and public sentiment senti-ment has been aroused, the two forces see a clearing of the atmosphere and ultimate good as a result o.- the fray. Germany seems surprised and endeavors en-deavors to muster a show of indignation indigna-tion that the French should have taken seriously the terms of the peace treaty. With the movement of the German reichswehr in unauthorized force Into the Ruhr basin (part of the neutral zone of 150 kilometers on the right bank of the Rhine) the French promptly occupied the German cities of Frankfort, Darmstadt, Homburg, Hanau aud Dieburg and surrounding territory. French officialdom points out that Germany had already slipped out of ten compliances with the treaty, the most important being failure fail-ure to disarm, nonpayment of indemnities, indem-nities, no prosecution of her war criminals crim-inals and failure to deliver coal to France; also that If permitted to get away with such a vital violation as invasion of the neutral zone, she would soon discard all pretenses of living up to the pact. It is further pointed out that Noske far from reducing Germany's Ger-many's army to the point demanded in the treaty, had really been building up a great and potent military force from the remnants of the old army. The French, and they are not alone in the assertion, claim that Germany still has 12,500 cannon, and could now mobilize more than 2,000,000 trained men armed with rifles, machine guns and minenwerfer. The assertions are a tribute to German organizing efficiency effi-ciency and charge that camouflaged as auxiliary troops, safety guards, policemen, police-men, civic guards, regulars, volunteers, home guards, etc., the country really has no less than 3,500,000 men who can be called upon and 2,000,000 who could be rendered immediately effective. effec-tive. Every man in the country was recently a soldier and now each one under Noske's genius, has become a policeman or something similar, belonging be-longing to a military organization and with a complete military equipment In his home. The French occupation has been criticized as lacking allief support, sup-port, but the allies were drifting apart on important matters before that. At any rate, the occupation appears to be complete so far as it has gone and promises to end with a compromise with allied supervision of German operations op-erations in the Ruhr districts or full ; German compliance with French terms. American forces have left Siberia while Czecho-Slovaks and others are getting out as rapidly as possible, with the exception of the Japanese. Japan will not leave Siberia for the present, having on the contrary, occupied the city of Vladivostok and ended the Red regime there. Prior to that had occurred several brushes between the Russians and Japanese, notably an engagement March 18-20, at Niko-laevsk, Niko-laevsk, in which the latter lost 700 men. Japan is said to fear the extension exten-sion of bolshevik theories to Korea, Japan Itself, Manchuria and other spheres of Japanese influence. Czechoslovak Czecho-slovak officers recently arrived In this country do not hesitate to assert the belief that German intrigue figures in the far Eastern situation and that ultimately ulti-mately Germany, Russia and Japan will reach a workable understanding if not an actual alliance. In the training camp for the great presidential contest Hiram Johnson had an inning distinctly all his own In the result of the Michigan primary. The California senator made a runaway run-away race of it, badly distancing all competitors. Lowden supporters claim it was a setback for Wood, while Wood supporters claim it was a setback set-back for Lowden. It was a setback for all the Republican candidates except ex-cept Johnson, so far as Michigan Is concerned. That state has been undergoing un-dergoing some severe political throes since Ford carried It In 191G and received re-ceived the state's vote on the first ballot bal-lot in the- Republican convention. Affiliations and alignments have suffered suf-fered many changes since. The recent re-cent prosecution and conviction of Senator Newberry and a number of his supporters has thrown further discord dis-cord into the Republican ranks. Senator Sen-ator Johnson seized the psycholog ical moment and made a vigorous, effective ef-fective personal campaign. New York will send unlnstructed delegates tc both conventions, although Leonard Wood's managers claim the Republican Repub-lican delegates will favor his nomination. nomina-tion. Rhode Island also sends an un-instructed un-instructed delegation. Senator Johnson John-son is conceded a good chance In New Jersey where he has been making a strong campaign, also in Nebraska and most of the Rocky mountain and Pacific Pa-cific coast states. Much interest attaches at-taches to the primaries in Illinois, Indiana In-diana and Ohio. The battle between landlords and tenants in the United States assumes almost equal Interest with strikes, politics, national and international problems. In New York recently enacted en-acted anti-rent-profiteering legislation, received Its first tests with results wholly favorable to tenants. In every case tried evictions were defeated and tenants were granted stay-overs of from one to three months when they proved their inability to find new homes. In Chicago and many other cities tenants are organizing leagues to resist what they consider unduly increased rents. Many court battles are impending and in some cases arbitration arbi-tration has been Invoked successfully, resulting in some compromises and sol e material reductions. Real estate boards have acted effectively In some instances in settling controversi.es and the problem Is receiving wide attention atten-tion from municipal authorities and financiers. Loan corporations with large capital have been formed in a number of cities to promote building and help end the housing shortage. In spite of all remedial measures and all the oil being poured upon the troubled waters, landlords and tenants are looking look-ing toward May 1 and other moving days, with misgiving. Denmark having staged Its demonstration, demon-stration, is outwardly quiet. The net result of the disturbance seems to be a distinct gain for the liberal elements, ele-ments, with the king considerably out of favor and an increased leaning of the people toward a republic. Both reactionism and radicalism received setbacks ; the former through the will of the people to have the constitution amended and strengthened, and the latter In the failure of agitation to secure se-cure its entire abolishment. As a re-suit re-suit of the troubles the king was forced to dismiss the unpopular cabinet cab-inet of M. Liebe and permit the formation forma-tion of a new ministry headed by M. Friis, which is considered! popular enough to endure at least until the elections of April 22. Construction of a ship canal from the Great Lakes to the sea, utilizing the St. Lawrence river, will be widely agitated during the coming year and undoubtedly will be a live issue In congress. Investigation of the project was authorized by congress over a year ago. Canada took similar action with the result that an International joint commission was formed which is now making surveys with a view to reporting both to the congress of the United States and the parliament of Canada, as to cost and feasibility. The organization chiefly interested In pushing the canal ls known as the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Tidewater Tide-water association, composed of 14 states Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming, Wyom-ing, Montana, Colorado and Nebraska. Active opposition has developed among commercial organizations in New York state and the issue promises to be keen. Failure of the bolshevik offensive against Poland leaves that country In better position to enforce Its peace terms with the Russian reds, the principal prin-cipal Item of which is a reconstitution of the Polish frontier line of 1772 running run-ning roughly -long the Dwlna and Dniester rivers. Plebiscites among the Inhabitants are provided for and may modify the boundary to some extent, but It is -believed, not essentially. Expecting Ex-pecting to inflict a peace by force, the bolshevik government last month refused re-fused to consider the main Polish terms. The Roumanians. Letts and Esthonians are reported to have reached an agreement wilh the red anil to be awaiting the result of peace pourparlers at Warwuv. |
