The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-13
NO swift HMENl'S
STRIKE, HE SAYS.
GRAND MASTER HAWLEY WOULD
REAssURE SHIPPERS.
Head of National Organization Believes
the Fear of Government Ownership
Movements Will Deter Railroad Men
from Engaging in Labor Conflict with
Employees. a

..'You may say for the benefit Of
shippers that there is no cause for APP
prehension whatever
This assurance is given to shippers
and business, men generally by Frank
P. Hawley of Buffalo, grand master of
the Switchmen' IS Union of North Amer
lea, who is in Minneapolis today. sas
Mr.. Hawley bases his statement on
the fact that the railroads have hith-
erto uniformly treated the switchmen g
union with courtesy and that for eco
nomic reasons the companies would not
permit. the negotiations to terminate
in a strike. Government ownership
ence on the corporations, he said. Fur
thermore, the policy Of the switchmen
is to arrange such matters as are under
with the roads ana not by strike.
In addition to this, the preliminaries
have hardly been begun, and for that
reason strike is not imminent. Mr..
Hawley dislikes the word "strike - and
regrets that. the term is used in con-
nection with, publicity Of the switch
mems request for more substantial
recognition for their services by the
railroads. T. =
Mr.. Hawley has the management Of
the whole conference matter, which is
set for Oct. Is. He will have several
meetings while, in Minneapolis. The
meeting tonight will be in Columbia
hall, harrington and University ave-
nues. The Sunday afternoon meeting
of all the lodges will be in the same
hall. On Sunday night Mr.. .Hawley
will meet with local No. 80 in Mime
apolis.
He "Made Good.'': "
Mr.. Hawley reminds the business
men that he assured them in 1902, in
Minneapolis, that there would be NO
strike Of the switchmen and his assur.
ance proved to be "Jgood:'
sh;9 You may nay +S say for the , benefit eft Of
ley. IT feel an interest in the ship
pers as we'll as the companies. It il
our duty. I have always commended
that the general managers Of the rail
roads owe no more allegiance to theil
employers than do the switchmen.> Both
are working for their living. I un
derstand that the shippers don't want
their goods tied up by strike. I as
sured them in this city In 1902 thai
there would be no strike and there was
none. ~
No Demand, He Says.
'tThe erroneous impression has gone
about that when the switchmen make E
request, it means strike. Ours is ar
aggressive organization, but an ex
ceedingly conservative one. On Sept
! rs we asked for a conference with tn
officials of the roads for Oct. Is, thirt,
| days later, to discuss the features con
tanned in the request. Then the story
went out tina t it was demand. T
may be that in some places it did conn
in the form Of demand. In such case
it came from the men and not from tn
union. The, request was presented gen
orally and simultaneously at tim
{; that would bring benefits to all con
4 ceTned. z sSf$ > r i;
"Candidly. I think that the railroad
would not precipitate strike for eco
nomic reasons. The tendency to gov
eminent ownership is more general: thai
most people think. I am in close toucl
= withe working people and know that !:
strike Of the switchmen would be o
such magnitude as to tie up even tn
farmer. The farmer has always accuse
the railroads Of charging him too muc
money, and therefore anything tina
would prevent his shipping produc
would lead him to look into the cause.
and if he found that the railways ar
amassing great earnings and refuse t
pay living wages. to the sfitchme1
they would say to the president, TAX
charge Of these railways.' ~ ~>s. :>.-
cup to this time the railroads hav
been very fair to us. and why not, a
we have presented simply REASONABLE
conditions9" 80