The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-11
RAILROAD NEWS.
Santa Fe Clerks Planning to
Demand More Pay.
Requests viii Come Before Vice
President Morton.
ORGANIZATION MADE.
Clerks Secretly Allied With
AInalgamated Rwy. Union.
Peculiar Obstacles Interfere
With Concerted Action.

1t is said that a movement is on foot
among the thousands of clerks employed
by the Santa Fe railway to secure a
general increase in the wages paid to
this class of railway employees.
The requests for more pay will come
before the freight and passenger officials
of the road, and the head of this de-
partnent is Second Vice President Paul
Morton. AS yet the plans have not
taken definite form, and it is very diff
cult TO ascertain just how far the move
ment has spread or how strong the
organization CT railway clerks is.
Railways clerks are in peculiar posi-
ton with relation to the railway which
I employees them. 1t is from the ranks
OF the clerks that most of the officials
OF the road are recruited, and as there
is no definite line between the $50 a
month clerks, the 5000 month clerks
and the officials themselves. it is very
difficult for a concerted movement for
+ a wage increase to be made. It is this
peculiar condition which has made it
difficult for the clerks to work together
in any brotherhood" such as exists
among the trainmen, shopmen and gen.
eral labOrerS.
them-have ambitions to advance to the
top of the railway profession, and they
realize that by joining a. union, or try
ing to force the officials to increase
chances for preferment. The best and
most competent clerks are just the ones
who hesitate to make any such attempt,
because they realize that they are the
ones who are most likely to be chosen
for promotion
The result is that it is claimed that
the clerical froces of the great railways
are the poorest paid department of the
business. Hundreds of clerks in the
Santa Fe offices are receiving as low as
$50 a month, and promotions come slow
ly in such large aggregations of labor
ers. A $50 a month clerk is pretty ef-
fectually buried when he goes to work
for a railroad and the chances are
strong that he will be $50 month
clerk for a good many years, no matter
how much ability he may have for hold
ing more desirable positions.
of late years it is known that many
clerks have secretly allied themselves
with the new AmalgamatedH Railway
union. 1t is this organization which is
said to be backing the movement for
more pay and waiting only for the or
ganization to gain sufficient strength to
present demands to the railway officials.
The movement is said to include not
only the Santa Fe, but all of the west
ern railways.
on the Santa Fe coast lines the OF :
ganization of the clerical forces is be-
lieved to be stronger than on the eastern
part of the line.
There is in Topeka a branch lodge of
U
lea. This branch lodge has quite a men,
bership. The purposes of the organiZa-
ton are said to be entirely social, and
the officers endeavor to interest the rail-
way officials in their work. They dis
avow emohatically any intention of
making the order Striking organiza-
tiOn.' but the fact remains that the rail-
way officials are inclined to look upon
any organization with distrust. The
officials may profess friendship but they
realize that organized labor is in posi-
ton to enforce demands which individ-
uals would be powerless even to sug-
gest.
The officials of the Santa Fe coast
lines are now in conference with the
trainmen and other operating employees
Of tz:at part of the system, III regard
to raise in wages. This conference
came a s a matter of course after the re-
cent conference in Topeka with the fire.
successful in their suit There is not
accorded to the men on the coast lines
Third Vice President ]. w. kendrick
/ General Manager A. G.. Wells and Ger
eral Superintendent Shepard of the
Santa Fe are in conference at Los An
geles with committees representing the
brotlerhoCdS of engineers and fireman
that nave made a demand for increase
compensation. The conference will be
in session several days, and if ne,.
schedules are agreed on they will be-
come effective January /.