The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-09
Street Car Employees Will Hold a
Meeting This Morning at
West End Coliseum.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ACTS.
Declares the Transit Company Has
Violated Agreement in Hiring
of Men-President Whit
aker's Denial.


Committee OF the Street Railway Mems
Union yesterday morning it was decided 10
call a meeting of the union men this MORN
ing at 10 o'clock at West End Coliseum to
pass upon the ACCESSIBILITY Of resuming the
strike. Yesterday not only were the street
car men actively engaged in shaping up
matters for a renewal OF the fight, but all
other branches of organized labor in the
city met. and by a practically unanimous
vote decided 10 tender their moral and
financial support to the railway men If they
decided TO renew the fight.
The Executive Committee of the former
employees OF the transit company held an
executive session I'm the forenoon at Wal
halla Hall. None OF the members would
say what action was taken In the meeting.
However. ii was learned that the whole
session was devoted to 4 discussion OF The
alleged failure on the part of the transit
company 10 live up to the terms of the
agreement of July 2.
II was stated that affidavits had been
obtained from several employees of the COM
pany who swore that they had gone to
work since the execution of the last
agreement. The Executive Committee
after a session OF several hours. decided to
call meeting of all the strikers at the
West End Coliseum this morning at 10
o'clock. when the matter would be sub
mitted for final action.
Central Labor Union Meets.
At O'Clock in the afternoon the Central
Trades and Labor Union met. AT thu
meeting Dave kreyiing. member of the
Grievance Committee of that body. ex-
planned the negotiations that had led to the
settlement week ago and also stated that
II was his understanding that the strike
would go on again from to-day. that the
Executive Committee had decided to SO
recommend TO the mass meeting 10 be held
to-day.
Al this point II. F. Blackmore asked 4
the meeting was 10 determine the advisa-
bility of resunling the strike or simply TO
ratify the action of the committee Some
lively discussion was provoked by this in
quiiy. II. L. Morrison. the repre sentative of
the street car men In the central body In
sisted that the matter should not be dis
cussed in public meeting.
Alter some time IL was decided to go into
executive session for the purpose Of dis
GUESSING the matter. After the session had
adjourned it was stated that the Central
Trades Union had voted to stand by the
Street Car Employees Union In whatever
action they should decide upon in the mass
meeting to-day. II WAS Claimed that the
company had violated it's agreement by en-
ploying men other than its former en-
ployes, as provided in the terms of settle
ment. agreed upon on July q
President Whitaker's Denial.
This contention is eDphatica!ly denied by
President Whitaker OF the transit com
pany. MIR Whitaker said: The company
entered that agreement in perfect go,d
faith and has lived 70 to it, both in letter
ana spirit Inc mel appear to think that
everything can be done in a minute and
seem unwilling to accord 10 the company
the same reasonable time In which 10 act
that the company gave the Representatives
OF the men. The settlement was effected
on Monday. We waited from that time un-
aoou, noon on Thursday for the list of men
needed. After the list was received IL was
turned over to Mr. Baunhoff. on Friday
Ierintendents. with the request that they
report at the earliest possible time th,,
humber of meE they could make places for.
Ihe division superiniendents met SATURDAY
forenoon and rotiiiCd Nj. Baumhoff of the
for.
After this meeting a list of men to be
Immediately hired and put back to work
was prepared and posted. l do not suppose
that any of them have actually resumed
Wofk, as they hardly have had time TO
learn of their accomplishment. 1 expect
them to show up for duty to-day. and II
they do they will be employed. Now. as to
the charge that the company has employed
any men since tine agreement of July =
except as provided by the terms of that
agreement, l want to say ii is absolutely
false. We have not employed a single man
since that cate and have had no idea of
doirg so There are few men who have
been put on the cars since th.t time who
every one OF them was actually employed
before the execution Of the agreement, and
in no way was affected thereby
Former Employees Statement.
Late last night Chairman T. Il. Edwards
of the Grievance Committee OF the street
railway men issued a statement TO the pub
lie explaining the causes that have led IN
to the present crisis in the strike situation
In .fa hair
that the men were never entirely satisfied
with the settlement. but had approved the
action OF the committee at the earnest So
ifciiation of various committees of public
spirited citizens. who believed that the
company would live up to the agreement
and if il did so that the best possible, set
tlement had been secured. He then states
that the men discover that the company
was not living up to the terms of ;ha
agreement and had since its execution en-
ployed large number Of men who were
not formerly employed by the company. 4
letter was then addressed to the company,
Of its failure to keep its agree
Inent and giving the names of a large num-
Der of men who had been employed by the
company after July 2. and who had never
before worked for il.
Chairman Edwards gives what purports
to be the company's reply in letter from
F. w. Lehman. of counsel for the co-:-
pany- In this letetr Mr.. Lehman says the
matter will be Immediately investigated
He also says that the transit company in
tends To carry cut the agreement In per
otherwise there has been any breach of th..
agreenen OF July :. 81 at the matter wcuII
be promptly corrected. This letter was date,
July T. After this Edwards SAYS that the
men were requested to he patient and give
the company time to correct the matter, IL
1t was discovered that there had been a
of the agreement. In connection
with the list of men posted as having been
re-employed. he says that the men reported
at the various sheds and were informed that
they were not wanted and could not be Civ ,
en- work at the time.
He further AYERS that the men were not
selected as agreed, in that some were taken
from the top. some from the bottom. and
others from the middle of the list, when il
was understood they were to be selected
In the order In which their names appeared
the list having been made with this obiec: |
in view. and the names of those mosf In
need having been placed at the top.
Concluding. Chairman Edwards SAYS:
of citizens can and will testify ,
that the company has been guilty of VIOLA |
tions of the agreement, and as this Is the.
second time IL has broken faith with ms. we
appeal to the public in general, who stood |
by us so molly In the past to assist us in /,
the future In whatever action NAV be taken
by our association at the meeting 10 be
held at 10 o'clock this morning."