The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-04
THEY MUST WORK
COURT WON'T ALLOW TRAINNIEN
TO STRIKE.
PRESIDENT OF THE WABASH
AVERTED THREATENED TROUBLE
WITH AN INJUNCTION.

Eleven Hundred Men Were Going to
Strike if Demands for Higher
Wages Were Not Granted-Presi-
dent Ramsay Asked for More
Time-He Was Given 1.-THE Took
Advantage of the Delay to Secure
the InjunctiOn-Whnt the Train
mems Leader Says of the Case.
st. Louis, March S.-An injunction
granted by Judge Adams of the United
States District Court prevented the
elimination to-day of the threatened
strike of the LOO firemen and train
er wages.
AS the result of the poll during the
past week among the employees over
the question of striking in case Presi-
dent Ramsey should ultimately refuse
to grant the demanded wage conces-
sions on theWabash east of the Missis-
sippi river, the engineers and conduc-
tors refused to participate in a strike,
but the firemen and trainmen favored it
emphatically. Their committees yes
teday notified President Ramsey that
he would be given until noon to-day to
grant their demands. If by that time
ne still refused, a strike would be i'm
mediately called.
President Ramsey this afternoon re-
quested a little more time, and the
two committees granted him until 5
o'clock to make final reply. Before
the allotted time had expired President
Ramsey had secured a restraining or
der from the court, and it had been
served on all the officials of all the
orders and members of the Grievance
Committees. The injunction was a
most sweeping instrument and effectu-
ally blocked any strike proceedings. In
part, it reads:
The Injunction.
eve, therefore, do strictly command
you, until the further order of the
court, absolutely to desst and refrain
from in any way or manner ordering,
coercing, persuading. inducing or
otherwise causing, directly or indirect
ly, the employees of the said Wabash
Railway Company to strike or quit
the service of said company"
The Injunction is temporary, and the
writs are not made returnable. The
persons against whom the injunction is
issued may appear in court at any
time and present a plea to have the In
junction dissolved, or if no one asks
that it be dissolved, it may be made
permanent.
Meantime, the Grievance Committees
had prepared and submitted to Presi-
dent Ramsey a letter setting forth the
increase concessions they desired. II
was soon after the delivery of this let
TO fn he IN,
junction was served. Shortly after s
o'clock. two hours after the injunc-
ton proceedings, President Ramsey
sent to the Grievance Committees his
reply to their letter, practically reject
ing all their demands. Before leaving
his office to go home he said he did
not believe a strike would occur.
Statements from Morrisey.
The committee of firemen and train
men met and talked over the situation
this evening, and then dispersed for the
night. Grand Master Morrissey of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen said
after the meeting:
I'VE have decided to make no move
unit after a consultation with our at
torneys. This consultation will be held
tomorrow morning."
A signed statement was given out
he says of Judge Adams Injunction:
ITO this command, as law-abiding
citizens and organizations, we bow in
submission. We will respect it, be-
cause we recognize that until dis
solved, it is the law. While we view
the action of the court as subversive
of American rights and privileges and
we believe it contrary to common JUS
tice and fairness, we utter no defiance
to its mandate and indulge in no
heroics.
1--WE will. however, contest the pro-
ceeding to the end, for IL Judge Adams
order is written into the laws of our
country, organization of labor, which
is to-day the hope and protection of
those who toll, can no longer contri-
butte it's beneficent influences in bet
tering the condition of the working
people. In this effort we believe we
will have the support not only of or
ganized labor everywhere, but of all
right thinking citizens who are lovers
of human rights"