The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-03


W Smith, secretary and treasurer OF
the International Association of Ma
chinists, Santa Fe district No IL, and
who, at the present time, is the highest
official in the machinists' union on the
Santa Fe system
Smith was discharged at 10 o'clock
yesterday morning Later a grievance
committee was sent to Division Mas
ter Mechanic Todd asking that he re-
instate Smith This Mr.. Todd said he
could not do and the strike terminated
the issue
Mr. smith makes the foIIowir.S State-
ment.
Some time during Monday night
body of 81 men were brought into the
Santa Fes local yards Just what time
they arrived cannot say, but at
o'clock this morning these men We're
on hand ready for work They were
distributed about the department. and.
although we knew them to be non
union men. We did not make objection
to working by their sides More than
that. so FAR as know, there was not a
resentful word spoken by the local ma
ssAt about 10 O'Clock I received a
message stating that I was wanted at
the master mechanics Office COM
piled and was told that my services
were $50 longer needed Ny time was
given me and a deputy sheriff was on
hand to escort me out Of the gate I
asked to be allowed to go back to the
shop and get my tools, but was told
was even some hesitancy about my
being permitted to get my bicycle, al
though 1 was allowed to get my wheel
The guard then walked with me TO
tile gate
Upon learning what had transpired
the local grievance committee went di-
rect TO Division Master Mechanic TODD
asking that I be reinstated- This was
refused and at $3.50 this afternoon the
men walked out"
When interviewed last evening Di-
vision Master Mechanic Todd, who is
the highest official in the santa Fe
mechanical department in this city,
said:
"AII have to say is that the men
have struck and We viii do without
them. g " Smith was discharged
be :.tuse he insisted upon going about
the shop talking about union matters
when he should have been attending
10 luis work I had warned him On
previous occasions as TO what would
happen if he did not desist and when
he was given his time yesterday morn
ing he knew perfectly well why he
was discharged"
BIaczsniths Also Struck
The San Bernardino bIacksmiths also
struck Tuesday morning although
they were back at work in a very few
minutes. The trouble began at
o'clock when two nOn-uniOn helpers
were sent into the blacksmithing de-
partment to assist at a couple Of the
fires No sooner had the step been
taken than sixty men took on their
aprons and declared their intention Of
quitting if the Objectionable helpers
were not removed at once. Master Me-
chanic Todd was acquainted with the
situation and at once transferred the
helpers to another portion of the plant
Without a word the blacksmiths re
Sumed their work
The bIacksmiths have always con-
Quoted a strictly union shop and, al
though they are, as a rule, very con-
servatfve, giving little trouble to the
company. they have not yet reached
point where they will work with
non-unionists. as was proven the other
morning.
German Strike Breakers.
The san Bernardiuo Times-Index
says: Though the Santa Fe brought
in 81 machfnists and helpers Monday
night the depletion in the ranks Of the
new men has been such that last
night it was necessary to bring an
other crowd, which came over from
Catalina and reached here in a special
car attached to the overland Ine
officials at the shops refused to give
even an estimate of the number but
from other sources 1t is learned that
fully so men were added to the force,
most of them being Of German ma
tionality.
Just how long they will remain is
uncertain. They went to work this
morning with the other men, and nave
been performing their duties as
the situation. They have been at Cat
alma for fully a month, and look the
picture of health, the salt air having
impaired a rudy though tanned com
It is stated on seemingly good au-
thority that the company has had
these men imported from their native
land. If this is so the importation
must have been accomplished through
the Baldwin locomotive company of
Philadelphia, as all these Germans
have worked at those shops and are
skilled mechanics This fact lends
strength to an assertion which was
made by some of the men the other
day that the locomotive company has
entered into a contract with the
santa Fe and other companies to sup
ply a given number of skilled me
chanics. They we're imported and
given work at the Baldwins in order
to test their proficiency, and lend
color to the statement made to them
that they would be sent west to enter
new shops which the company has
constructed
A machinist SAYS. sI have talked
with about fifteen of the men who
quit with the union machinists. and all
tell about the same story as to having
come to this country TO work with the
Baldwin locomotive company. One
thing is certain, it has not been mere
" an accident that the large majority
of the new men are Germans, and it is
another sure thing they were not sup
piled through the agency Of an ordi-
nary employment bureau
At Pueblo and Ration
A Pueblo paper says that Santa Fe
machinists who work in PUEBLO by a
unanimous vote. decided not to strike
This action means that If the men are
called out by national body which is
expected. they will refuse to obey The
men say that they are few in numbers
and their wages are satisfactory and
equivalent to the amount paid by other
roads
The Ration Reporter says: The San
ia Fe brought in IS men Tuesday. said
to be machinists. handy men and help
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