The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-04-17
VOLUME XVII.
THE CAUSE OF THE STRIKE
Foreman Hall Makes q State.
memt of His Case-.What
Led 10 the Strike.


stances who have been thrust into
sudden notoriety by the strike on the
Gould Southwestern system is Chas.
A. Hall, the former foreman of the
passenger car repair shops of the
Texas 81 Pacific railroad at Mars
hall. 1t was he whose discharge
from the service of the Texas d. Pa
cific railroad precipitated the pres
ent labor revolt ON the Southwestern
railroads. A year ago Mr.. Hall was
active in the first great strike on the
Gould Southwestern system when
the men won an increase in wages and
better terms generally in the relations
with the railroad. These benefits
were secured through the Knights of
Labor Hall at that time was quite
conspicuous in the local management
of the strike at Marshall, although
he was only an ordinary workman
in the passenger car repair shops.
A few months after the settlement of
that strike he was promoted to the
formanship of the shop. He was
discharged on February ID. Il have
every reason to believe" said Mr..
Hall, few days ago, "that l was
promoted to the foremanship because
at that time was the most compe-
tent person at hand to take charge
of the shop"
THE coMPANY's GRUDGE.
l was impressed, however, with
the fact that the railroad had a
grudge against me on account of my
activity in the strike and early this
year / felt that the officials were
only waiting pretext to discharge
me and put in my place some one
who was not Knight of Labor man.
Wheeler, one of the officials under
the receivers, indicated as much a
day or two ago when speaking of my
case he said: The case of Hall was
particularly aggravated one. He
made himself obnoxious in the troub-
lie of year ago and we took him
back for the sake of peace. Hoping
to encourage him ON securing his
good will for the company we promo
ted him to be foreman of the car re-
pair shop but he proved more troub-
lesome than ever and besides he was
incompetent.
''This shows there was grudge
against me and that the company
was watching me and only waiting
for a pretext to turn me adrift.
When, therefore, | attended the
Knights of Labor meeting of my as
sembly Mr.. Crosbie the general shop
foreman, who is bitter opponent of
the order, was the instrument they
used to bring on this entire trouble
by discharging me on the allegation
that l was absent three days with
out leave, although | can prove by
good men that l had Crosbie's per-
mission to be gone one, two or three
days, as circumstances would re-
quire.
GIVEN LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
l told Mr.. Crosbie further that if
there was any objection to my being
absent would not go, and he said,
That's all right" 1t was direct
answer to my question and was the
only kind of permission anybody re-
ceived for leave of absence-verbal
consent. No one received written
permission and my absence was only
to attend meeting in my own town,
verbal permission was all that l
deemed necessary. l had been off a
dozen times and that was the only
form of permission / had ever receiv
ed. After my discharge the Knights
of Labor did all they could to have
me reinstated by Mr.. Crosbie, but
without avail The higher officers
were appealed to and they would do
nothing. They refused to recognize
the Knights of Labor as an organi-
cation that had right to try to Sc
cure the just treatment of its mem
bers. After the Knights had existed
all possible efforts at arbitration the
strike came. No one regets it more
than l do because the loss and troub-
lie the men who are out have sustain
ed, and the Inconvenience the bust
ness public have experienced. But
the strike was right and founded in
justice and on the broadcast of prin-
ciples
WANTED A BULLDoZER.
After Crosbie had positively refus-
ed any concessions in. the premises
he and / met and referring to the
matter he remarked: The men in
the shops are not afraid of you and
l want man whom they will be
afraid of. To which replied: No,
thank God! they are not afraid of
me, and hope you'll have to hunt
long while before you find man
whom they will fear This was my
last talk with Mr.. Crosbie.
a THRILLING SIGHT.