The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-05-15

The Attitude Of the Trainmen Re

NICNSNS
AS a rule, Of late. railway employees,
trainmen especially. have been pretty rea-
sonable in their demands upon the en-
ploying companies. The railways have
been enjoying a period of unusual pros
perity. and it was not inappropriate that
the employees should ask a reasonable in
crease in wages as their share of the
prosperity. For the most part, railway
managers recognized the justice Of the
demand, and wage scales have been
raised quite generally without anything
serious in the way Of q strike. a strike
Is now threatened on the Great Northern
railway. which was one Of the first roads
to grant a liberal increase in wages. The
strike is now threatened, not as a result
Of wage disputes, but over a matter OF
economy in the running of trains. AS the
gravamen of the dispute has been pre-
scented in the Minneapolis newspapers, the
Great Northern trainmen are wholly
wrong in their contention and should be
able to count on little popular sympathy
IL they make the refusal of their demands
the pretext for a strike.
ne uISpulS 10 ' TIC ISN - N'''D'~
headers" A "doubIe-header," in railway
parlance, is a train to which two loco
motives are attached. The Great North
ern cOmpany desires to use two lOCOmO-
tives to pull over the heavy grades trains
which on more level track need only a
single locomotive. TIL trainlnen contend
that when two locomotives are used "
complete train crews must be employed.
or that the single crew shall receive
double pay for the service. The COM
pany, reasonably enough, it would seem.
argues that It has use for but a single
train crew and has no desire to employ
more men than are really needed, 1t
argues, moreover, that as the use Of the
extra engine requires no extra work on
the part of the crew employed, the com
nanv IL not disposed to pay double wages
to that crew.
II is not difficult to see what the train
men have in mind. If they can prevent
the company from using "douhle-headers
the company must run two trains instead
of one to get the same number OF cars
over a heavy grade. Thus two train crews
instead of one will be given employment.
The trainmen insist that if the double
| header" he used the crew employed shall
he paid double wages, SO the railway may
not to be able to find any economy In the
use of the "double-hcader."
This IS clearly a case in which the labor
oreanization is contending against the
1ogicoI economy of things. It is the same
oI5 nrotest against Iabor-saving methods
which has so often brought organized
| labor into disrepute. The trainmen are
insisting that the railways shall handle
thair Transportation Of freight in a more
avnansive way than modern ingenuity has
bcan ahIe to devise. In so doing, the
tratnmen are arguing against tbs interest
of the railway and that of the public as
waI, It IS the right Of the railway TO
transact It's business on the most eco
,or,icaI methods. 1t Is to the interest or
tho nuhIic that the railways shaH be al
lowed TO do this. 1t is the obligation OF
the company to pay all It's employees a
fair wage for the service performed IL
- not the right of the employe to ask that
he shall be paid for more work IMAM ne
na+,anv performs, or that the railway
60" ,su arn,lov more men than are actually
coded in the running of trains. The
Groot Northern trainmen are funda-
aon+auv wrong in demanding what they
- Eynn if their demands should De
rropted nobody-not even themselves IN
g. tong run-would be benefited. WHAT
T., host for the many muHt be pest Tor the
i,diyidual. Looking back over the long
naoord of futile protest against labor
soying methods, we find that what at first
,'o,,od like a calamity to some eventually
nroved to be a blessing in disguise. Fa-
ppir+ating production has mace WORK
en- wages higher and in the long run
sasiIl nad TO make opportunities for la
nas n,ha Great Northern trainmen should
pol.n a long while before they strike
p ~ q principle the sonndness OF
10y has been proved by the record OF
.n.rrias Sioux City Journal.