New-York tribune., 1906-12-25
TIE RED TAPE OF UNIoNISH.

One OF the most amiahle strikes in history Is
now In progress the Southern Pacific Rail-
way. The workmen have no grievance. Their
hours and wages are satisfactory. Capital is
well pleased with its employees and content that
they should be uniOnized. Two unions are IN
volved in the AFFAIR. but we are solemnly as
sured by both that there ls no trouble between
Them OF course the railroad company will lose
some money and the fremen will lose some
wages with no possibility OF financial gain
from the strike and, of course the public In
this time of great freight congestion will be
disconnected and suffer loss through this ami
able warfare. No principle is at stake. The
company is Indifferent whether it wins or loses
the strike. 1t has nothing TO gain either way,
but must maintain It's refusal Of the fremen's
demands IL order 10 keep its contract with it's
engineers. According as the controversy results,
one or the o,ler OF two unions will represent
certain employees in their relations with the
railroad management. and these two unions,
we are sOlemnly assured. are. as they ought to
be- the best of friends. Tie strike Is case of
the red tape OF unionism
There are in the employ Of the railroad GER
tain engineers whose duties are in the yards OF
the road. They run the switch engines. There
is seniority list Of these switch engineers.
Some of the berths are a little softer than
others Promotion, too, into regular runs on
the road probably goes by seniority. Most of
these switch engineers are members of the
Firemen's Brotherhood. having been lately pro-
NOTED from firemen. By a contract entered
into between the Engineers Brotherhood and
the railroad, that union controls the seniority
list of all the engineers. including the switch
engineers. The Firemen's Brotherhood demands
the privilege Of regulating the seniority of the
switch engineers because most of them are still
members of their old organization. They do
not join the Engineers Brotherhood because
they do not wish 10 leave the Firemens Brother
hood and thus lose certain benefits for which
they have paid as members of IT, and they do
not wish to pay dues in two unions. 1t is
petty quarrel to upset the freight traffic of two
states. especially considering the friendship
that exists between these two unions, both
fighting shoulder to shoulder for the cause OF
unioniZed labor
Logically, the contract between the company
and the engineers seems n proper one. 1t is
reasonable to deal with one union rather than
with two in regard to a single class of labor
though the company processes a willingness to
treat with both regarding the grievances of en-
gineers, If only the two friendly unions will come
TO some agreement about how it shall he done
The dispute Is not new one. II caused threats
Of a strike against the New York New Haven
& Hartford Railroad a couple Of years ago.
Why do not the two unions adopt some definite
policy regarding the engineers who still retain
their membership in the Firemen's Brother
hood? Cannot the friendly Engineers Brother
hood, whose interests are so naturally allied
with the Firemen's Brotherhood. be trusted TO
look after the welfare Of engineers who are
members only of the allied order? Is every
body an object Of suspicion to organized labor?
Is organized labor no better than organized
capital is represented TO be in its treatment of
the members Of another union. friendly and al
lied?
The public is paying for this union red tape
and the firemen could not have chosen a more
disastrous time for their strike. In addition to
the rush Of holiday freight business the moving
of the cotton harvest is now at it's height There
is growing insistence in this country on the
public duties of capital Does organized labor
imagine that IT owes no corresponding duties to
the public?