Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-12
STRIKE CONFERENCE
HELD N SECRET
Officials of Road Willing to
Admit Reporter, But Strikers
Committee Objects
.compANrs POLICY OUTLINED
General superintendent Noonan Says
Company Will Not Discharge Any
Present EmpIoye to Take Back Old
Mon, So Long as Services Are Sat-
isfactory - Makes Attitude Plain.

Present Employe 70 axe BACK Oto
& Men, So Long as Services Are Sat-
isfactory - Makes Attitude Plain.
General Superintendent d. C. Moo
nan, Of Minneapolis, and Superinten-
dent c. S. Hayden, of Oskaloosa. of
the Iowa Central road, arrived in the
city this morning to meet committee
representing the men who struck at
the company's Marshalltown shops
Agent Fred Wing was also here from
Minneapolis, and was present at the
meeting, but his coming to the city
was occasioned by other business. and
his attendance at the gathering was
merely as an auditor. The conference
was held in the private car of General
Superintendent Noonan, at the foot Of
Third avenue.
3 The conference was set for II O'clock,
and Mayor Ingledue was on hand be-
fore this time. The committee, how
ever did not show up and shortly after
al o'clock the mayor went after them
and had them at the car by 1880. The
members OF the strikers committee
were Christopher Mitchell, represent
ing the machinists; N. w. Martin, Of
the boilermakers; William r. Dooley,
Of the blacksmiths; and G. NJ. Sted-
man, from the different branches of
labor classed as carmen.
Noonan on Company's Policy.
Before the men arrived Mr.. }Noonan
stated that the Times Republican
readers should be made to understand
that the company was not making
overtures to the men, nor seeking a
conference, and that the presence Of
Mr.. Hayden and himself in Marshall
town was by request OF the mayor
and to give the men chance to say
anything that they wished to regarding
,the matter.
I'VE want to make it clear that we
will not discharge any man who is now
satisfactory to us to make way for
any man concerned in this strike"
said Mr.. Noonan. I'VE are running our
shops and will continue to run them
and employ the men who are employed
there and who are satisfactory as
long as we can give them employment
and they wish to stay, Amy man who
was in our employ and wishes to re-
turn cam make application, and if he is
a satisfactory man his application will
be considered at the proper time.
Spend Money Elsewhere IL Not Here.
What we have to say is open and
above board and for all Marshalltown
and everybody else to hear. We are
willing to listen to anything anybody
being here. There has been a dispose
ton on the part of some people IN
MarshaItown to prevent the company
spending it's money here, and as long
as that is the case we will spend 1t
Elsewhere. II we can get work done
cheaper elsewhere than in Marshall
town, we will take it elsewhere until
we can have it done In this city at a
like figure.
Thinks Attitude Not Oppressive.
ut is only fair to the men who We're
in our employ to understand that we
are not trying to get them to take
places they had before, for we do not
want them to stay around Marshall
town in the hope of coming back into
the shops, and thereby prevent their
getting work elsewhere. 1t is only
( fair to the men who are, now working
for us to make this plain, and It's only
equally fair to the company and to the
city This attitude on the part of the
company will be made plain to the
committee when the conference takes
place, and it is only right that it should
he generally known. The company,
when the strike came about, sought to
obtain the services of Its men at the
same prices which prevailed IN the
shops Of other railroad companies IN
this region. We did not consider that
1t was a cut in wages, as the men look
at it. It was a reimbursement to bring
our scale to the same level as that In
force on the Northwestern, Milwau-
s.kee and other systems in this section.
We were paying up to cents higher
for our work than these other roads
and had been for some time. We
could not afford. when other roads
were getting men for less money in
such hard times, to pay the higher
wages. We believe our attitude was
reasonable and fair, and not oppressive
in any sense Of the word"
Mayor Explains His Attitude.
When the mayor entered the car
with the strikers delegation he said
that as he had been responsible for
the meeting he believed it was up to
him to speak first.
my object in asking for this meet
ing was to see If we could not get
some agreement or compromise in this
matter" said he. II believed that may
be such a meeting would bring about
a suggestion or plan which might lead
to desirable end. have no preju-
dice in this matter. hope to see the
company treat the men fairly, and 1
hope to see the men treat the COM
pany fairly. We want to see Marshall
town restored to its normal condition,
but am not here to- tell you gentle
men what to do or how to do 1t
You're like two boys quarreling that
ought to be brought together and
peace made. hope some good result
may come of this meeting to MARSHALL
town. to the company and. to the men.
I wish to thank Mr.. Noonan for COM
ing and I wish to thank the men also
Gov o&fopdsrr,V