The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-08
And Mr. Ward En6eavors to Tell
How to Avert 1t.
Such is the Advice of Officials Of the
Great Northern and Circulars Have
Been Issued to This Effect-Strike
Is Imminent Unless One Side or
the Other Gives In.

either Monday night or Tuesday
morning. The ballots have practic-
ally all been cast. and when the re-
suit is announced from st. Paul,
where the counting is being done, it
| is expected that the advocates of
striking will be in large majority,
and a walkout will follow. Both
sides have taken a firmer stand in
the last few days, and an element of
bitterness is being injected into the
controversy that augurs trouble. The
railway company, through General
Superintendent Ward claims in posi-
| tive terms that the double header
question must remain as it is, and
that any attempt on the part of the
men to acquire right in the manage
ment Of the roads affairs will lead to
trouble. The men are also standing
pat, and as each side seems firm, it
is difficult to see how trouble can be
averted. On this divisions while the
exact result of the vote is unknown,
strike carried their point by a sur
prising majority
The following eleventh hour warn
ing to the Brotherhood of Trainmen
was issued from general Offices in st.
Paul Monday last and it's threaten
ing tone is not calculated to modify
the awakened distrust the railroad
organizations feel against the COM
pany. The threat of speedy retalia-
ton is but thinly yelled, and it is
not believed by railrOaders that much
has been accomplished by this circu-
lar:
"OFFICE OF GENERAL MANAGER.
est. Paul, Mimi, May 4, 1908.
''To Conductors and Trainmen:
| cit has come to my attention that
in taking a vote on the question of
authorizing your committees and
grand officers to order a strike on the
| question now at issue between the
company and it's men, the committee
men have urged upon you the import
ance of voting in favor of authoriz-
ing the strike for the reason that
such vote would certainly prvent a
strike on account of it's influence
upon the companys officers. and
that they believe the company cannot
afford to risk the serious cOnse-
quence Of a strike in the face of a
strong expression of opinion from
our men.
81 am, therefore, prompted to is
sue this circular to advise you that
! no OF les In nj i'm,
made by your committees that it is
a right of our men to have voice in
the management of the company's
business to the extent of debating
the makeup of trains is one of such
Importance that even in the face of
a very strong expression of opinion
from our men, I shall feel obliged to
resist any attempt to enforce any
such principle to the utmost. You
are all aware that double heading is
not practiced on our line except to
a Limited extent; that the running of
train hauled by two engines does
not add to the danger of your call
ing nor to your work; and to admit
that you have right to ask us to
abolish double-heading is to admit
your right to participate in the man.
agement of the companys affairs.
"To such of you who have voted
to authorize strike with this mis-
understanding of the probable effect
of such vote on the minds of the
company's officers, this circular is
particularly addressed. and it is my
desire to urge upon you that you
without delay change your vote; 9TH
erwise you may be committed by
your committees and your grand Off
GERS to struggle in which serious
loss will be inflicted not only upon
the company, but upon yourselves
and fellow employees, and upon the
entire community through which our
lines run. AS stated in conference
the running of double-header trains
will not affect the pay or conditions
of service of any man now in service
or hereafter employed. The sole
point at issue is whether our EN-.
, ployes can properly ask us to make
rules that will make necessary the
, employment of more men If your
!, committees, acting under authority
of your vote. order strike, they will
deprive you of wages you would earn
did you remain at work; and deprive
you of the positions and rights you
have earned by years Of service
| Your grand officers and committees
have repeatedly told me that it is
not their intention to follow this mat
ter up by asking us to limit the size
of the trains handled by single en-
CINE; that you are satisfied that the
? heavy train and heavy engine has
) come to stay, and that you are will
ing to abide by the results Of thai
condition. If that is the case. there
is no possible reason why, on road
like ours. where Misunderstanding is al