The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-05

A STANDARD TRAIN.
That Believed to Be the Ultimate
Object in Present Demands
Of the Trainmen.
Great Northern Controversy Only
an Incident The Policy Of
the Great Northern.

Northern is simply q phase Of q fight by
the trainmen OF the country to see 1
whether they can getsthe American roads
to agree upon a standard train, and that !
it is not simply an inconsistent demand +
that a train crew shall draw twice the pay
for labor when the ira In is drawn by two /
light engines as when hauled by a heavy ,
engine. This question was left to the !
Great Northern by the. other roads as the
foremost exponent of heavy trains.
Just what the organizations will ask
as standard train is not known, II the
trainmen have already decided upon the
matter The chief concern for the pres
ent is the Endorsement Of the principle b
that the trainmens have right to establish
a limit to the size OF a train to be handled
by one crew, for the regular schedule of
wages. Once the principle is acknowl-
edged, railroad men say, the unit Of
train, like the schedule Of wages, will be
easily adjusted.
Great Northern's Policy.
The policy Of the Great Northern road
to be followed in case the trainmen au-
thorize a strike Is stated In the following
circular issued by General Manager F. e.
Ward:
EST. Paul, Mimi, May 4, 1903.
"To Conductors and Trainmen-
"It has come to my attention that In
taking a vote on the question Of authoriz-
ing your committees and grand officers
| to order strike on the question now at |
issue between the company and its men, I
the committeeman have urged upon you I
| the Importance of voting in favor OF au-
thorizing the strike, for the reason that |
such a vote would certainly prevent q |
| strike on account ST it's influence upon the
company's officers, and that they believe
| the company cannot afford to risk the
serious consequence of a strike in the face
of q strong expression Of opinion from our
men.
| II am, therefore, prompted to issue this
| circular to advise you that the matter at
ISSUE, namely, the claim made by your
committees that It'll a right of our men
| to have a voice in the management OF the
company's business to the extent Of die
tating the makeup of trains Is one OF such
importance that. even in the lace OF q
very strong expression Of opinion from
our men, shall feel obliged to resist any
attempt to enforce any such principle to
the utmost You are all aware that dou-
le-heading is not practiced on our lines
except to a very limited extent; that the
running of a train hauled by two engines
does not add to the danger of your calling
nor to your work; and that to admit that
YOU have a right to ask us to abolish dou-
BILE heading is to admit your right to
participate in the. management OF the
company's affairs.
"To such Of you who have voted to au-
thorize strike with this misunderstand-
ing of the probable outcome Of such a
vote on the company's officers, this cfrcu-
lar is particularly addressed, and 1t is my
desire to urge upon you that you without
delay change your vote; otherwise you
may be committed by your committees
i and grand officers TO a struggle In which
serious loss will be inflicted, not only upon
the company, :. byaat 1dp6h yourselves and
your fellow employees, and upon the en-
tire community thru which our lines run.
j AS I stated In conference with your com
| | mittees on April "a, the running OF double
L header trains will not affect the pay or
I conditions Of service of any man now IN
service or hereafter employed. Inc sole
I point at issue is whether our employees
can properly ask us to make rules that
= will make necessary the employment OF
: more men. II your committee acting
under authority Of your vote, order
,s strike, they will deprive you OF wages
= you would earn did you remain at work
- and deprive you Of positions and rights
- you have earned by years OF service. You
grand officers and committees have re-
- peatedly told me that it is not their IN
- | tention to follow this matter up by ask
ing us to limit the size of trains HANDLED
by a single engine; that you are satisfied
te that the heavy train ana heaVy eng!n'
10 has come, to stay, and that you are will
I'd ing to abide by the results of that cond1
e. ton If that is the case, there is no pos
N sible reason why. on road IKE ours
where double heading is at the loves
minimum, conflict should arise on
point where no possible interest OF your
Is can suffer by Welding the principle tina
s. has been advanced
..Strikes, increases of pay and the ex
action Of conditions that increase the cos
| of operation, have been so numerous, bot
& on railways and in Industrial enterprise.
Ii | of late that nothing can contribute NOR
to an effectual termination Of the era {
prosperity we have been in tina
an act Of folly such as tn
declaration of strike by cor
ductors and trainmen on on the Gres
Northern line would be at this time.
ask you to remember that for f1ftee
months past the conductors and trainme
on the Great Northern have been enjoy
ing q higher rate Of wages than paid d
any other line in the country. and tn
licitation by any employee or committe