The San Francisco call., 1904-10-23

odcA with the cigars tn6re Was uly
humor in his eye.
You mustn't let your loyalty to the
old guard get you into trouble with
the receiver he cautioned; and they
both smiled.
"The trouble hasn't waited for our
bringing" said M'Tosh. THAT is why
we are here. Durgan has soured on
his job, and I'm more than sick of
mine. It's hell, Mr.. Loring. / have
been at it twenty years, and never
saw such crazy railroad1ng in any one
Of them"
bad management, you mean?"
bad management at the top, and
rotten decentralization at the bottom as
natural consequence. We can't be
sure of getting train out of the yards
without accident. Dixon is as careful
man as ever stepped on an engine,
and he smashed a farmers wagon and
killed the farmer this morning within
two train-lengths of the shop juno
tion''
''Drunk?" inquired the ex-manager.
Never a drop: Dixons Prohibi-
zionist, dyed in the WOOL But just be-
fore he took his train, Halkett had him
in the sweat-box. jacking him up for
not making his time. He came out
red in the face. jumped on his engine,
and yanked the Flyer down the yards
forty miles an hour"
And what is your trouble, Durgan?"
asked Loring
Another side Of the same thing. 1
wrote Major Guilford yesterday, tell
ing him that six pit gangs. all the
roundhouse emergencies and two out
door repair squads couldn't begin to
keep the cripples moving; and within
week every one Of the labor unions has
kicked through It's grievance commit
tee. His reply is an order announc-
ing blanket cut in wages, to go into
effect the first of the month. That
means a strike and a general tie-up.
Loring shook his head regretfully.
1T hurts me-" he admitted. I'VE had
the best-handled piece of railroad In
the West, and l give credit to the men
that did the handling. And to have 1t
wrecked by gang of incompetent sal
-grabbers-'~
The two left-overs nodded.
That's just 1t, Mr.. Loring," said
M'Tosh. ''And we're here to ask you
If it's worth while for us to stick to
the wreck any longer. Are YOU folks
doing anything?"
I'VE have been trying all legal
means to break the grip Of the COM
bination-yes.
And what are the prospects?" 1t
to know.
"They are not very bright at pres
ent. must confess. We have the entire
political ring to fight, and the odds are
overwhelming.
You say you've been trying legal
means,'" MTosh put In. Cant we
down them some other way7 I believe
you could safely count on the help of
every man in the service, barring the
politicals."
Loring smiled
IT don't say we should scruple to
use force If there were any way to
apply it. But the way doesn't offer"
Il didn't know" said the trainmas-
ter rising to close the interview. But
If the time ever comes, all you or Mr..
Kent will have to do will be to pass
the word Maybe you can think of
some way to use the strike. 1t hasn't
been declared yet. but you can bet on
it to a dead moral certainty"
1t was late in the afternoon Of the
same day that the Federative Council
sent its committee, chairmaned by En-
=sineerSScott. to interview the ex-gen-
erSI manager at his rooms in the Clar-
endon. Scott acted as spokesman,
stating the case with admirable brew
ity and conciseness, and asking the
same question as that propounded by
the trainmaster. to wit: If there were
any prospect of a return of the road
to its former management.
Loring spoke more hopefully to the
committee than he had to Durgan and
M'Tosh. There had been little more
time for reflection, and there was the
heartening which comes upon the heels
of unsolicited helptenderings. however
futile He told the men that the stock
houlders were moving heaven and
earth in the effort to recover their
property; that until the road should
be actually sold under an order from
the court, there was always room for
hope. The committee might rest as
sured that no stone would be left un-
turned; also that the good will of the
rank and file would not be forgotten in
the day of restitution, If that day
should ever dawn.
When Loring was through Engineer
Scott did thing no union man had
ever done before: he asked an ex-gen-
eral managers advice touching the ad-
visibility of strike.
Il can't say as to that" was the
prompt reply you know your own
business best-what 1t will cost, and
what it may accomplish. But I've
been on the other side often enough
to be able to tell you why most strikes
fail, if you care to know"
A broad grin ran the gamut Of the
committee.
Tell us what to do and we'll do 1t,
Mr.. Loring," said Scott, briefly.
First, then, have a definite object
and one that will stand the test of
public opinion; in this case We'll say 1t
is the maintenance of the present wage
scale and the removal of the incompe-
tent officers and men. Secondly, make
your protest absolutely unanimous to
a man. Thirdly, don't give the major
time to fortify; keep your own coun-
sells, and don't send in your ultimatum
until the final moment. And, lastly,
shun violence as you would a tempta-
tion of the devil"
'Yon's a man. said Angus Duncan,
the member from the Amalgamated
Machinists, when the committe was
filing out through the hotel corridor.
Now you're shouting!" said En-