Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-25
If WILL AFFECT THOUSANDS.
Wire Prest. Mohler Quoted as Say
mo is Caused by "Prest. Roose-
yeIts' Mania for Reform
a., ,s This Roosevelt Prosperity That
Makes This Step Necessary
Public Not Inconvenienccd.

omaha. Neb., Jan. 25.-The reduc-
,ton Of working hours of Union PACING
sbopmen which began last Monday, Is
III no followed after today with q re-
,rction of working days from six TO
1--WE per week. At the headquarters VI
,,o Union Pacific, it is stated thaS
omaha will not be the only place af-
sected. and that there soon will be
= general reduction of the mechanical
forcs of the road along its entire line.
mis- reduction probably will affect sew
oral thousand men, either by reduc-
nan of working hours or final dismiss
SAL .
Vice President Mohler as charging
tbe reduction to president Rooae-
yelt's mania for REFORM" and indt-
eating that his road would work with
reduced force so long as the presi-
dents activitS against corporations
continues.
''You may say that the Union Pa
cdc Is only cutting down because u
has to- he said, land not because 1t
4 any pleasure TO the company TO
throw thousands of men out of their
work. The public viii be in no way
Affected by the reduction in force and
all the comforts TO travel Will be pre-
served Just as regularly as before.
at is this Roosevelt prosperity that
makes this step necessary and II 'iis-
gusts me to think that his mania for
reform should make the working class
thus suffer.
This retrenchment and economy
would be necessary Just as long as this
administration keeps UP its reform
activity and so l am unable to say
how long 1t will be before the old
working time and the rest of the work
ing force will be re-instated."
The motor shops will not be affect
I'D BY the new rule. but other shops
will Supt, OF Motive Power Mckoen
made, but further than that he re-
fused TO talk.
M. Mohier admitted to the Asso-
dated Press that beginning Monday
there would be general reduction in
hours of employees in the mechanical
departments of the Union Pacific. He
said there was no political significance
10 this reduction, declaring 1t was
the result only of reduced traffic. He
stated that Mr.. Hartman had never
given him any political instructions
but admitted 1t was his personal BELIEF
that President Roosevelt. and no other
person, was the cause of the present
reduction in railroad traffic
He dictated a statement regarding
the report of the reduction printed In
local paper. as follows:
u was called up by telephone at n
late hour In the evening relative to
rumored reduction in the force of men
employed in the mechanical depart
ment Of our road and Inquiries were
made which to me appeared rather in
truslve. 1t was distinctly understood
that the conversation was of an in
dlydual and not official character.
THE reduction in force is only made
to meet the same percentage of reduc-
ton In traffic and dealing directly as
We are with this large body OF men,
and realizing the suffering that ensues,
and having been through similar ex-
penences In previous years, II Is not a
pleasant task to perform nor pleasant
surroundings to view.
u have received no political instruc-
tons from Mr.. Hartman either direct
" or Indirectly, since my connection
with the Union Pacific railroad
Mr.. Mohler stated that there are
about 5000 men employed in the me-
chanlcal department at present but adj
mltted that the past four months had
Witnessed reduction in force of about
SNO men, which is greatly In excess
o. the number usually discharged at
lhis season. No further reduction of
force VIII be made. but hours of en-
loyment will be made as above In
dlcated.