The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-04
And Aid of the Court Invoked to Pre-.
vent Issuance Of the Expected
Strike Order.
MR.. MoRRIsEY's STATEMENT
INJUNCTION CRITICISED, BUT 1T
WILL BE FULLY OBEYED.
Regarded as So Radical that an At
tempt Will he Made to Have IL
Rescfnded or Overruled.

ST. LOUIS, March s.-An injunction
granted by Judge Adams. of the United
States District Court. prevented the cul-
mination to-day of the threatened strike of
the 1.1O0 firemen and trainmen of the Wa
bash Railroad for higher wages. AS the
result of the poll during the past week
striking in case President Ramsey ulti-
mateIy refused to grant demanded wage
concessions on the Wabash east of the
Mississippi river, the engineers and con-
ductorn refused to participate in strike,
but the fremen and trainmen favored it
emphatically. Their committees yesterday
notified President Ramsey that he would
be given until to-day at noon TO grant their
demands. If by that time he still refused
a strike would be Immediately called.
This afternoon President Ramsey re-
quested a little more time and the two
committees granted him until o'clock to
make final reply. Before the allotted time
had expired President Ramsey had secured
a restraining order from the court, and 1t
had been served all the officials of all
the orders and members of the
grievance committees. The injunction
was most sweeping instrument
and effectually blocked any strike
particfpations. 1t was ISSUED against
the following, including the officials, clerks.
agents and attorneys of the Brotherhoods
OF Railway Trainmen and Locomotive Fire
men: John j. Hannahan. Fred Engelhardt,
A. H Martin. James Sell, F. H. Hecox, w.
L. Rowe. w. G. Lee, b. w. Schafer. Will
liam Mckay. j. r. Courtney. George w.
Bradley, III. McManus. Charles a. Lewton,
Charles j. Augur. II. c. Niemeyer, E. c.
White. F. G. Shepard, T. r. Dodge, F. w.
Arnold. A Z. Jordan. p. II. Morrissey and
e. H. wilkins.
The injunction. in part, reads: I'VE,
therefore, do strictly command you, until
the further order of the court, absolutely to
desist and refrain from in any way or
manner ordering. coercing, persuading, In
ducing or otherwise causing, directly or in
directly. the employees of the said Wabash
Railway Company TO strike or quit the
service of said company.
After President Ramsey learned that the
Injunction had been served. he said: I'VE
Will go on dealing with our own employees
the same as usual. This order will not
affect them at all. IL a strike takes place
IL will be due to outside interference. The
order is meant to restrain others on the
outside from interfering with our en-
pioyes or of ordering a strike. 1t was out
side influence that caused dissension. The
employees OF the Wabash were satisfied
anc would have remained satisfied If left
TO their own accord.
MORRISEY'S STATEMENT.
The following signed statement was to-
night given out by p. II. Morrisey. grand
master OF the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen:
'The f1remen and trainmen employed on
the Wabash system, by decisive vote au-
representing them
and the officers OF their organizations to
declare strike IL the wage scales and
other working conditions which they had
presented to the management were not
granted. This course was decided on only
after every other honorable method to in,
duce the company TO give them deserved
consideration had failed. Their determina-
ton to take this step was deliberately
reached. as their personally written sigma
lures will attest. They chose to hazard
their employment and the consequences to
themselves and their families that might
follow rather than longer to hold the rela-
tion of the only railway employees of this
section who could not meet their manag-
ing officers on terms Of equality and be
accorded equal wages and similar treat
.nent given employees of their class on
other lines Some idea of their situation
may be conceived when it is known that
the division officials of the Wabash would
not meet committee of their employees to
hear or discuss matters of complaint
There was no question of recognition of
organized lazor' TO prejudice the ISSUE
even though the influence of the employees
was exerted through their organizations.
as their action could not have been made
effective or inteligently directed through
any other method.
ITO prevent the men from carrying out
their determination 10 defend their position
in proper and legal way the company ap-
piled to and was granted an Injunction by
Judge Adams. OF the United States Court
: for the Eastern district of Missouri, re-
straiping the organizations. their officers.
the committee and all concerned from di-
rectly or Indirectly sanctioning the pro-
hxrf he
Iselves- To this command, as law-abidmg
tcitfzens and organizations, we bow in sub
mission. We will respect IL because we rec
Iognize that until dissolved IL Is the law
While we view the action OF the court as
subversiye of American rights and privi-
leges and. we believe contrary TO common
justice and fairness, We utter no defiance to
its mandate and indulge in no heroics. We
will, however, contest the proceeding TO the
end. for IL Judge Adamss order Is written
into the laws OF our country organization
OF labor. which Is to-day the hope and pro-
lection OF those who toll. no longer
contribute its beneficent influence in better
ing the condition of the working people. In
this effort we believe we will not only have
the support of organized labor everywhere,
but all right-thinking citizens who are
lovers of human rights.
..As TO the action OF President Ramsey
I'm this connection. We leave the public to
Judge. For years he has boasted of his con-
tempt for labor organizations. He liked the
distinction IL brought him of being the one
managing officer in this section who could
get along without them. Every previous
effort OF the employees TO meet and deal
with him had proved futile. He did not
lear Tbsv stmsed 20 ~ inng m tne hInes men
or cajoled. They told him they would
strike II their requests were not granted
He knew they were In earnest and that he
could not handle the situation as on pre-
yfous occasions. Instead OF meeting IL
squarely and operating his property with
has so often said, the ability which he has
asserted heretofore seems 20 have deserted