Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-05-14
DoUBLE-HEADERS.
The Attitude of the Trainmen Re-
viewed.

viewed.
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 a strike. strike
is now threatened on the Great Northern
railway, which was one Of the first roads
to grant liberal increase in wages. The
strike is now threatened, not as result
of wage disputes but over a matter OF
economy in the running of trains. AS the
gravamen Of the dispute has been pre-
sented in the Minneapolis newspapers, the
Great Northern trainmen are wholly
wrong in their contention and should be
able to count on little popular sympathy
If they make the refusal of their demands
the pretext for a strike.
The dispute is over the use of "double-
headers" A double header" In railway
parlance, is a train to which two loco
motives are attached. The Great North
ern company desires to use two locomo-
tiyes to pull over the heavy grades trains
which on more level track need only
single locomotive. The traiHmen contend
that when two locomotives are used two
complete train crews must be employed.
or that the single crew shall receive
double pay for the service. The COM
pany. reasonably enough, 1t would seem,
argues that 1t has use for but single
train crew and has no desire to employ
more men than are really needed. IL
argues moreover, that as the use OF the
extra engine requires no extra work on
the part Of the crew employed. the COM
pany is not disposed to pay double wages
to that crew.
IT Is not difficult to see what the train
men have in mind. If they can prevent
fine company from using double 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 .rainmen insist that If the double
| header" be Esed the crew employed shall
be paid double wages, so the railway may
not to be able to find any economy In the
| use of the "double-header.
This is clearly. case in which the labor
organization is contending against the
lopical economy of things. 1t is the same
old protest against labor-saying methods
which has so often brought organized
Iabor into disrepute. The trainmen are
insisting that the railways shall handle
| their TRANSPORTATION of freight in more
extensive way than modern ingenuity has
baen able to devise In so doing, the
trainrnen are arguing against the interest
of tine railway and that of the public as
well II Is the right OF the railway 70
transact its business on the most eco
nornical methods. 1t Is to the interest OF
the public that the railways shall be al
lowed TO do this. IL is the obligation OF
the company to pay all Its employees a
fair wage for the service performed 1t
e not the right of the employe to ask that
he shall be paid for more work than he
act ,ally performs, or that the railway
snail employ more men than are actually
raeded In the running of trains The
Great Northern trainmen are funda-
mentally wrong In demanding what they
a. EVEN II their demands should be
GRANTED. nobody--uot even themselves IN
The long rur--would be benefited. What
a hest for the many must be best for the
individual. Looking back over the long
record OF futile protest against labor
saving methods, we find that what at first
Ioobed ike a calamity 10 some eventually
nroyed to be blessing In disguise Fa-
cilitnting production has made work
sas,er wages higher and In the lcng run
sas helped to make opportunities Tor la
hor The Grea. Northern trainmen should
ronaer a long while before they strike
syainst q principle the sonndneEs of
itch has been proved by the record OF
senturies.--sloux city journal.
NtN W. lthtAs---~~-a