The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-19
Agreement. Reached by
 Old Employes.
GO BACK TO WORK
 AS N0N-UNIoN MEN
Sign Affidavits ts That Effect and
 Get Same Wage Scale.
Motormen and Conductors Went out In Effort to Secure Recognition of Union, Higher Wages and
 Shorter Hours on March 27.

The Montgomery street car strike V over. and the Traction Company has won out.
 Tn agreement was reached yesterday between General Manager Ragland of the company and a considerable num- Der or the former employees of the company. by which they return to run ming the street cars. at the same wages they were receiving before they went out on strike. and sign aff1davits that they are not union men
 There were. according to Mir Rag land, sixty-one employees who have signed applications for work with tho company upon these terms.
 The strike of the notormen and conductors against the Montgomery Traction Company has lasted for over three weeks. having been inaugurated at noon. March 27. Practically all of the nearly 150 men employed by the Traction Company went on strike. only some ten or twelve having remained with the company.
 The occasion of the strike was the discharge of about twenty employees by the company because. 1t was claim ed by the employees. they were mem- bers of the union that was being or- ganized. The lines of the contest were closely drawn, it being the recognition of the union that the men were fight ing for. Back of this, also. was a de- sire for higher wages and shorter hours. The union would doubtless have demanded these concessions If opportunity had afforded. and did so some time after the strike was fnau- gurated.
 New men were brought to Montgom- cry to take the place of the strikers, special officers came with their depu- ties to see that the new men were frrv11 1frnr tI- ties as conductors and motormen. The police department was kept particular iy busy, assisted by Sheriff Belser and his deputies, in making special efforts to preserve peace.
 Regardless of the efforts of officers. peace has not feigned supreme. Out trages to the peace of the public and Go the property of the Traction Company have, been nightly reported and when matters had finally reached condition bordering upon desperation, few so- berer heads among the strikers saw that something must be done and done quickly.
 Several of the strikers went to Gen eral Manager Ragland of the Traction Company yesterday and asked to have 6 conference with him in regard to re- turning to work.
 T say now, as l have said several times before, that I will not arbitrate this matter with any committee sent to me by the union," was the greeting they received from MT. Ragland.
 We do not come to you as com mittee from the union. but simply as individuals looking for honest employ ment." was the answer.
 Then, as individuals I will listen to you" said the Manager of the Traction Company. What have you to say?"
 Simply that we are tired of this strike and the way it is being con- ducted." said the men. We do not care to be out of employment and can not afford to be out of work. Is there no way in which we can secure our former Jobs7"
 Manager Ragland hesitated before he made answer Then he said:
 The. Montgomery Traction Company has all along said 1t would under no circumstances treat with the union in regard to arbitration. We are just as positive on that point now as we were in the beginning. Personally we have no i'll feeling against any of the men, but we will not have union men work ing for this company. If you desire to go back to work and will make for mai applications to the Traction Com. pany, as non-union men, the company will employ you. You must sign af- fidavits that you are not union men and agree to work for precisely the same wages you were receiving when
 
 We will do it," said the men.
 ''Very we'll" said the manager, T will prepare your contracts and afi- davtts, which, if acceptable to the com pany, you will be given work just as rapidly as we can find room for you" Contracts were then prepared em- ' bracing the non union clause and within two hours, according 10 Mir Ragland, sixty-one of them had been signed
 I've of course reserve the right. said he, "to engage just what men we choose. whether or not they be union men. Simply because man has not afhliated with the union does not en- title him to consideration in case he is incompetent. We have endeavored 10 get the best men available to operate the cars during the strike and the old men that 20 back to work are those whom we know to be worthy
 The men whom we will put to worl. from the ranks of the strikers will only supplement the list of those al- ready in our employ Many of these men now on the cars have come from other cities and are desirous of re- turning there. Some of them we de- sire to have return. But the greater number of the men brought here are pleased with Montgomery and the treatment they have received from the company and prefer tc remain"
 " HlIc tHS dCtAOu company has its fight 1t has not been without great cost. During the strike many tn stances of violence occurred and not only was much damage done to inc rolling stock, but the reduction in the number of passengers and consequent receipt of fares was ousiderable
 With reports of disturbances along the lines in which guns were shot and stones thrown through the win dows of the cars, the people were afraid to ride on the cars, especially at night, when such disturbances us- ually occurred. under cover of dark ness
 VsSheriffs and deputies from other cit s4ss were brought to Montgomery and as they were the best men that could be secured, regardless of expense, this out quite deep hole in the treasury of the coupany.