The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-26
PANIC CHARGED
TO ROOSEVELT
Vice President MohIer of the
Union Pacific Locates Cause
of Business Depression.
WORKING HOURS REDUCED
THOUSANDS OF MEN OUT OF EN-
PLoYMENT.

Omaha, Neb., Jan. 25.-The reduction
OF working hours of Union Pacid,
shopmen, which began last Monday. 8.
to be followed after today with a re.
duction of working days from six tc
hVe per week. AT the Headquarters of
the Union Pacific. it is stated that
| Omaha will not be the only place At
Iecred, and that there soon will he a
general reduction of the mechanical
force of the road along it's entire line
rms reduction probably will affect sew
erdI thousand men, either by reduction
of working hours or final dismissal.
The World-Herald today quotes Vice
president Mohler as charging the re-
auction TO President Roosevelt's ma
ma Tor reform" and indicating that his
road would work with a reduced force
SO long as the presidents activitv
against corporations continues.
You may say that the Union Pa
Gins is only cutting down because It
mas to-" he said, land not because if
is any pleasure to the company 10
throw thousands of men out of their
work. The public will be in no wav
affected by the reduction in force. and
All the comforts to travel will be pre-
served just as regularly as before.
Woe for Working Glasses.
1T is this Roosevelt prosperity that
makes this step necessary, and it dis
gusts me to think that his mania for
reform should make the working class
thus suffer. This retrenchment and
economy Will be necessary just as long
as this administration keeps up its re
FORM activity, and so I am unable To
say how long it will be before the old
working time and the rest of the work
ing force will be reinstated''
The motor shops will not be affected
by the new rule, but other shops will
superintendent of Motive Power Nc
Keen admitted that the cut should be
made. but further than that refused
TO talk.
Result of Reduced Traffic.
Mr.. ~Mohler admitted to the Associ-
ated Press that beginning Monday
there would be a general reduction in
hours of employees in the mechanical
departments of the Union Pacific. He
said there was no political significance
TO this reduction, declaring it was the
result only of reduced traffic. He
stated that Mr.. Hartman had never
given him any political Instructions
but admitted it 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 a
local paper. as follows:
Il was called up by telephone at 2
late hour in the evening relative to n
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 indi-
vldual and not official character.
Not d Pleasant Task.
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-
in previous years, it is not /
pleasant task to perform nor pleas |
ant surroundings to view.
Il have received no political instruc- !
ions from Mr.. Hartman, either di-
'ectly or indirectly, since my connec-
ion with the Union Pacific railroad"
Mr.. MOhleT stated that there are
about 5000 men employed in the me-
'hanical department at present. but
admitted that the past four months
lad witnessed a reduction in force of
ibout 5000 men, which is greatly in
excess of the number usually dis
,harged at this season. No further re-
iuction of force will be made. but
hours of employment will be made as
Ibove indicated.