The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-05
Want TO SETTLE.
Maehinists Will Soon Submit a
Proposition.
Mr.. BuekaleW Says 1t viii Be
Made Within As Hours.
NOT A CLOSED SHOP.
Strike Leader Says That Isn't
What Is Wanted.
However They Do Insist on
Contract.
NOT 4 CLOSED SHOP.

J. D. BuekaIew. who is directing the |
machinists' strike at this place said
today that the association would prob
ably submit proposition for settle /
ment within the next forty-eight /
hours.
of course. it is understood" said
Mr.. BuekaIew. that the longer the
strike drags along the harder it VIII
be to make a settlement with the com
pany The longer the settlement IS
put of the wider will the gulf be be
tween the men and the officials and il
is consequently to our interest that a
settlement is brought about as soon as
possible.
I do not think that the general
understanding regarding the cause OF
the present strike has yet been made
clear to the public The company
has endeavOred to create the impress
sion that we have no grievances Iuf-
ther than our demands for closed
shop They say that we want to take
the road out of the hands OF the ON
ciaIs and run it ourselves II that IS
the general impression it is not cor
rect In fact, we do not want a closed
shop In fact we do not care what
the company does as regards thaL
matter. our grievance is simply this.
We do not see why the company Is
willing to make a contract with the
conductors, brakemen, engineers, ire
men. car workers and all the other
trades and at the same time discr1uI-
nate against the machinists' union
which is one Of the most important On
the system
All Of these unions that I have just
mentioned have contract with he
company in which il is stated just what
the men shall do and what they shall
be paid Heretofore the machinisrs.
having no such contract, have had q
very vague idea to the wages there
are being paid and the work that iS
required Of them There has been no
definite understanding between the
men and the company as to what Ger
tain classes OF machinists should De
paid In fact all machfnists have been
governed by the same rules their reIa-
tive abilities not being taken into con-
sidera ton This is Just what We are
fighting against We want a conETacF-
It is TO our interest that we he on
good terms with the company the same
as all of the other men but that IS an
fmpossibility unless the company VIII
concede to Us the same privileges that
have been given to the other trades
II do not deny continued Mr.
( BuckaIew, that soma things have
happened that have been detrimental
to our cause. Take the walkOutS at
La Junta and Cleburne, Tex, for in
stance When we asked for an agree
ment the company pointed to those
/ two Instances as a reason for their
/ refusing TO comply with our demands
We were not TO blame. however The
trouble was of local inSIigaLOn- and
the men struck on their own account
and not according to instructions from
{ headQuarterS- In fact the trouble TO
/ which I refer goes far toward prov
I ing that our demands are reasonable.
for I believe that If there had been a
Z contract between the company and
+ the men nothing of the kind would
have happened To a certain extent
a contract serves as peacemaker,
I and wherever there is an understand
/ ing between the emplOye and en-
pIoyer the former is not likely to
make trouble"
Picket Line Report.
In his morning report to Mr. Buck
/ aIeW. D H HauOweIl, captain Of the
[ picket line which the strikers have
ests bIfshed. said that he had nothing
/ but good news No more union men
I have gone back to work and now only
two are employed in the shop Who
these men are he refused to say He
also said that some OF the appren-
ticeS who went back to work when the
4 shop was opened Tuesday morning
have since packed up their tools and
Joined the strikers. "Of course we
did not ask these men to quit work -
said Mr.. HaIlOWeIl, but now that they
have gone cut the association viii not
refuse them protection Every ma
chfnfst who wishes to join in the
strike viii De taken under our wing
and in time we hope to be able to care
I for the other metal workers who wish
Mr.. HaII0weu said some of the
I picket men had been ''cussed - but
! that was no more than was expected
I and that no disturbances have &C
I Cured with the exception of fight
4 between two nOn-uniOn men near the
Sarta F7e hotel Wednesday afternoon
/ in which one Of the men tried TO de-
fend himself against the accusation
that he was a worse "sCa b. than the
Z other. So far the union men have
i obeyed the warning of their leaders.
- - Ear4-
to avoid an Injunction they must not
violence
J. D. BuckaIew said today that It
was probable that it would be neces-
sary for him to leave Topeka this
week for a trip over the company 3
lines in Texas and the west
The conditions on other parts OF
the road are such as to require nv
presence This is especially the case
at C1eburne, Tex and / think I viii
leave for that point about Sunday.
This IS an important point on the
line but the men here do not REQUIRE
A leader as do those men in the west
They are amenable to reason and VIII
abide by my orders while the men in
bidden methods in an endeavor to SET
tie the strike on their own account
They would rather fight than eat and
IL IS therefore necessary TO have some
one on the ground TO rule them I do
not think that the men at CIeburne
are likely to go to fighting. but thew
are not very well organized. and there
IS some danger Of their going back to
the company.