The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-29
NINE HOUR LAW Is
 STILL DISCUSSED Rather Lively Testimony Given
 During the Hearing OPERATORS SEND PROTEST President of Railway Photographers Ac- cuses Santa Fe Road of Making
 Operators Sign a Letter
 Under Compulson.
OPERATORS SEND PROTEST.

Washington, February 2S.-When the hearing before the interstate commerce commission on the application for an ex-
 tension of the nine-hour law was resumed today, Hilary A. Herbert, former secre- tary of the navy, made an argument in
 behalf of the Seaboard Air Line. He con tended that owing. to the financial condi- ton of the road It could net comply with
 the law without embarrassment in it's op-
 erating expenses. Mir Herbert pointed out that the Seaboard recently had been placed in the hands of receivers, who should have time to adjust themselves to the present conditions in order to protect the stockholders and bondholders of this insolvent line
 MT. billiard, representing the Union Pa cific system, having stated that it would
 be impossible for his line at various re- mote stations to supply accommodations to third operator, H. B. Perham, presi-
 dent of the Order of Railway Telegra- phers, stated that he had received infor-
 mation from points along the Union Pa
 cific that it was entirely possible for the extra operator to be provided with the accommodations at the stations named by MT. billiard.
 E. l.. Stump, general chairman of the
 Union Pacific Photographers also stated that accommodations could be furnished |
 every station.
 F A. Delano of the Wabash Railroad put the inability of the Wabash to comply with the law purely on financial grounds Lucien Cooke, of the Norfolk and West ern, said 'We expect to comply with
 this law, but we ask time to adjust our selves to it's provisions on account of the
 unprecedented conditions. financial and otherwise which have arisen since the la " was enacted"
 Presenting the case of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe company, C. H.
 Gaunt, assistant general manager, said
 he could lay before the commission au-
 tograph letters from 1404 operators on
 that line stating that H. B. Perham was
 not authorized to represent them before
 the commission
 '.I have a score of telegrams," inter-
 jected Chairman Knapp from operators on your line which state they signed such
 letters as you refer to under protest"
 ''I would like to know" suggested MT. Gaunt. 'who they are" q cannot furnish you with that in- formation" responded the chairman, laughingly
 Thereupon, Chairman Knapp read two
 or three of the telegrams which in ef- feet stated that the signers had. been threatened with discharge if they refused to sign letters which were written at
 the dictation and direction of officials of
 the Santa Fe road. MT. Gaunt present.
 ed some of the letters which he had
 in hand and Chairman Knapp inquired
 if they had been prepared by officials of the company.
 ''They were not replied MT. Gannt. The chairman then read a letter from an operator who said that he had been presented with letter prepared for his signature by an official of the company MT. Perham president of the organza- ton of railway telegraphers. then ex-
 plained that he had in his possession let
 ters from operators of this road, asking
 him to represent them at this hearing. He alleged that the Santa Fe endeavored to intimdate it's operators; that opera tors had been discharged for trivial causes, among the causes being mem- bership in the Order of Railway Tele- graphers
 MT. Gaunt explained that the Santa Fe had had difficulty with the telegraphers before a strike ordered on that line sew eral years ago and that owing to that , trouble it was experiencing difficulty in securing men. The cases of several other railways were heard. but in essential de- | tails they did not differ from those al- ready presented. The hearing probably will be concluded tomorrow.