The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-12-10
Erdman Act Shown To Be a Very
One-Sided Proposition.
Erroneous Reports Are Sent Out
From Railroad Headquarters.

many months This has been true of
nearly all strikes, but the argument has
been advanced that to meet the de-
mands would tend to create arrogance
among the men and encourage them to
strike on any and all provocations. And
this argument is really believed by
many people who ought to know better.
| Men do not strike because they have
a love of stirring up trouble. A strike
is not a long holiday but grim re-
ality Weeks of idleness with wife and
children suffering is not enjoyed by the
striking men in overalls, but is a ter
rible sacrifice which they are willing
conditions and consequent higher
standard of living for their loved ones.
Believe this, dear people, once and for
all, these men know what they are do
ing.
What are these men striking for? In
substance, for just this: One day in
seven to be spent as they see fit land it
should be theirs by all right, decent
hours of labor and the same compensa-
| tion that skilled men in other indus
| tries receive. And how their demands
have been misrepresented. Why, the
railroads said they get $l04 a month
now. Nothing about those days of
overtime required a month to earn that
amount. There are many men in the
railroad service who do not see the
families for weeks and many more who
never see their homes by daylight.
These men want to cut down those eX-
ira hours of service and ask for an in
erase of six cents an hour that they
may work shorter hours without re-
ducing their pay envelope. They ask
for full hour for dinner--not as has
been represented for double time for
the dinner hour-but just for full
sixty minutes and they exact PEN
atty for working into the sixth hour
only to insure that sixty minutes.
Preposterous, isn't it, that they should
make such an UNREASONABLE demand.
How many skilled artisans would stand
for noon hour cut in two? They OBJ
iect to being "Oslerized" when they
reach the age of forty. Of course, the
railroad companies expect them to be
able to retire at that age with a compc-
tence for life.
Do YOU think any of these demands
are unreasonable? Officials of the
switchmen's union are authority for the
few days ago in the city of st. Paul
At that conference were representatives
of the switchmen's organization, rail
road representatives, American Fedora
| ton of Labor officials, the governor of
Minnesota, the mayor of st. Paul and
business men from Minneapolis and st.
Paul. The entire situation was gone over
in detail and at the conclusion of the
conference the concensus of opinion
among the business men present was
that the switchmen were both reason
able and just in their demands. Every
man with sense of justice and who
wants to see the men who help to make
possible the successful operation of
these great avenues of commerce re-
ceive the share of what they produc,
| hn. str n n
more just cause.
The switGhmcn have awful handicaps
to overcome They have only their la
Dor power and the sympathy of their
friends to pit against all the resources
that millions of money can call to their
aid. All the old familiar weapons that
capital knows so well how to use are
being called into play. Strikebreakers,
Pinkertons, skillful press agents whose
mission it is to poison the mind of the
general public through the columns of
the daily press. The same old stories
of deserting strikers All the men they
need. Trains moving as usual. Reports
intended of course, to dishearten the
strikers and break the back of the
strike And as usual, the corporations
of the country have needed the distress
signal of the railroads. Within forty
eight hours of the Inauguration of the
strike came the news of factories clos
ing, mines shut down. Of course. they
were out of fuel, or out of supplies
With the strike but two days old ii
was only too obvious that the intent
was rather to intimidate the working
men of the country as well as the bust
ness interests by furnishing them with
sample of what they might expect
if the strike continued. The monied
interests know well that it is easier tc
reach man through his stomach than
to spend breath arguing the merits OF