Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1894-01-01
MAY CUT BOTH WAYS
Point Made by Railway Employees
Il They Cannot Strike
BOSSES CANNOT CUT WAGES
TAsy wm Cosssss shs QssslAsa In
cours - Back Firc--Judse
Rtck's Opinion
BOSSES CANNOT CUT WAGES

TKssE HArTx. lad. Dec 3i--whsn
the executive oklcers q the brotherhood
Of railway employees meet in chiczgo
Thursday they vilI no doubt decide on
. policy in regard TO the rslstion of rail-
way employees toward the United States
courts. that will have fas.rosching sf-
fsct The step taken By the Northern
Pacific before Judge Jenkins at Miiwau-
kee. b bat . preliminary q what may
yet be done in the respect q calling on
the federal courts 10 interposs their su-
thority ia settling wage controversies on
roads which are IN the hands Of receiv-
era When Judge Kicks at Toledo In
terfered Ia the Ann Arbor strike. he
opened up an issus which the organixed
railway associations has aimee been
studying almost constantly. but almost
secretly. The opinions Of eminent law
ysrs have been obtained and the lawyers
have been obtninsd and the brotherhood
know about what they believe thet can
do in the prsmises-
Wage Issue Raised.
The proceeding in the federal court at
Toledo. few days ago. was more signifi-
cant than IL appeared TO be in the simple
statement that the employees OF tho To-
ledo, St Louis 4 kansas City. the
Glover Leaf" had asked the court to
grant hearing on the motion that the
court instruct the receiver 10 pay the
men better wageG II the hearing is
granted, the men, BY their lawyers. will
endeavor TO show that the receiver has
not managed the property wisely in re-
ducing their wages. only to pay new and
increased salaries TO ornamental officials.
1t will DO urged that the court should
listen to what may DO said in this direc-
ton, inasmuch a. the receiver 10 simply
an agent Of the court. This novel pro-
cceding shows that the men have taken
up with the idea that II the employers
can run into the United States court
room to procure aid in their controver-
sies with the men, that the employees
will SEQ II they can likewise procure aid
or justice in the same way.
To Contest it In Court
II had been the intention in the
Northern Pacific case to 60 to the
United States courts IL the receivers re-
fuse to grant the request Of the men not
TO make the changes in the schedule
announced for January /. The same
court that now virtually says to tho men
that they shall not quit work when the
schedule goes into effect was TO have
been asked to grant these same men 4
hearing. II the court ruled against
them. they were to vote upon the ques-
ton OF quitting work. II IL held by the
brotherhood officials that II they voted
to gull. the court can force them 10
work. They say they have faith
in the justice Of the courts; that In the
Northern Pacific case. Tor instance. where
il can be shown stock jobbers have
wrecked the property, and by which
they made millions. the courts. having
the property and its best operation in
their charge. will listen to the men
whose wages it is proposed to reduce.
that the owners II the property may re-
cuperate in part what the jobbers have
stolen, as also enough to pay the re-
ceivers each $4,000 year for their
services In short, the courts are to be
asked to hear the other side, in regard
TO the relation OF the employe to the em-
ployer, who indeed is the court itself.