Evening star., 1908-01-25
BLAME ON ROOSEVELT
Railroads Charge Retrench-
ment to His Activity.
CALL IT MANIA FOR REFORM
5000 Men Already Discharged on
Union Pacific.
WORK HOURS NOW REDUCED
General Manager Mohler Says It Is
Fair Sample of the Presi-
dents prosperity"
WORK HOURS NOW REDUCED

OMAHA. Neh.. January 2J.-The reduc-
sion OF working hours of Union Pacific
-hormen which began last Monday is to
he followed after today with reduction
1T working days from six TO five week.
~ the headquarters of the Union Pacific
II Is stated shat Omaha Will rot be the
only place affected and that there VIII
soon be a general reduction of the me-
chanical force of the road along its entire
rne This reduction probably viii affect
several thousand men either by reduction
of working hours or final dismissal.
Tine WorldHerald today quotes Vice
President and General Manager A. S.
Mohler of the Union Pacific as charging
the reduction to President Roosevelt S
mania for reform. and indicating that
his company would work with reduced
force SO long the President s activity
against corporations continues.
Cut Is Necessary.
You may say that the Union Pacific is
only cutting down because it has to- he
said, and not because it is any pleasure
TO the company 10 throw thousands of
men out of work. The public will be in
no way affected by the reduction in force,
and all the comforts to travel will be pre-
served just as before.
1T is this Roosevelt prosperity that
makes this step necessary. and ii disguSts
me to think that his mania for reform
should. make the working class thus suf-
fer. This retrenchment and economy will
be necessary just so long as the admin
fstration keeps up its reform activity,
and | am unable TO say how long it
Will be before the old working time and
The rest of the working force will be re-
installed
The motor car shops will not be affected
BY the new rule, but all other shops will.
Superintendent of Motive Power Mckeen
admitted that the cut had been made. but
further than that refused to talk.
Hours to Be, Reduced
Mr.. Mohler admitted TO the Associated
Press that beginning Monday there would
be great reduction in the hours of en-
ployes in the mechanical departments OF
The Union Pacific. He said there was no
political significance TO this reduction, de-
tlaring il 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 re-
duction in railroad traffic. Mr. Mohler
said
No More Discharges.
The reduction in force is only made
to meet the same percentage OF reduc-
tion in traffic. and dealing directly as
We are with this large body OF men anu
realizing the suffering that ensues and
having been through similar experience
in previous years. il is not a pleasant
task to perform nor pleasant surround
ings to view
Mr. Molller stated that there are about
1000 men employed in the mechanical de-
partments at present. but admitted that
the past four months had Witnessed Il re-
duction in force of about 5000 men, which
is greatly in excess of the number usual
~ discharged at this season.
No further reduction of force will be
made but hours of employment will be
cut, as above indicated.