The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-01-15

<. Ill
50 confer with the men. At the soIic-
i6stion of the manager of The company
your secretary conveyed 10 the union
word that the manager wanted to talk
ID the men in their meeting that night
and that the company was willing TO
aFbitrate the point or points at issue
provided the men returned 10 their
cars pending negotiations or arbitra-
ton. The mayor and your secretary
we're admitted to tae union meeting
and counseIed the union 10 follow the
course thus opened, both feeling that
si.ch a course was best for both par
ties principal as well as for the gen
eIal public interests, and the senti-
mCnt in the union in favor of sucn a
course resulted in a delegation 90
ing TO the manager of the electric
company 10 invite MIN % the union
meeting Meanwhile, however. the
electric company had decided 10 take
the position tnat by striking without
the notice provided for in the union
agreement with the company, the
union annulled its contract and the
men lost all rights hereunder and
so notified the union delegation. de-
cliring to recognize the union OF treat
with the men as a union.
The directors on the following day
approved the actions of the secretary
and continued the effort TO bring the
electric company and the union into
conference, on tle ground that the
situation threatened the public peace
and general interests in a manner
that transcribed the legal or techni-
ca rights of either party principal.
and that no effort at amiCabIe settle
mcnt by conference should be neg
Iected- The electric company adher-
Ell rigidly 10 tie legal and technical
position 1t had assumed. | do not
mean. either individually or for the
Chamber of Commerce, to diScredft
this position. ] cite the legal and
technical aspects as distinguished
from the attitude of the Chamber of
Commerce. that under such condi-
tions the cOntTacturaI rights of indi-
viduals or aggreSatiOns may be eth
iCaIIy less important than general in
teTests, indirectly but not less closely
involved. Failing to bring about a
conference between the parties prin-
cipal, the directory of this L1dy felt
pOweTleSs to accomplish anything. and
decided to take no further probably
futile steps. Subsequently,. the mem
beTsnip meeting, also refusing to dis
CuSs or allow discussion of the mer-.
its of the original trouble. strongly
denounced the violence that had Oc-
Cured to that time. called on the
authorities to preserve the public
pc ace regardless of merits or origin
OF trouble, and urged the abandon
mont of the mass meeting that had
been called by the local labor unions.
That the Chamber failed in its af-
forts 70 bring two antaGOnistic bodies
of local citizens even into conference
was due to no lack of effort or de-
sire for peace, and the varying extent
to which the Chamber has been crit
icized by adheTents of both parties
principal TO the strike as favoring the
other, is the customary fate or organ
izations or men who avoid favOritism
in times of stress and human preiu-
dice.
r. Navy Yard.
The decrease in the amount OF
work ordered TO the local navy yard,
and the consequent decrease in the
pay roll, which is d matter of generaI
moment in the business circles of
Pensacola, have had the attention of
the Chamber OfASofh nferce, but with
out any results of an especially graf
flying nature The sending of a large
fleet TO the Pacific ocean took work
away from all Atlantic yards, ard
furnished a reason why Pensacola /
could not be better provided with !
work
Senator TaliafeTTO's promise TO push /
the proposed craving dock was an en- /
but when he and local /
delegates to Washington at the time /
Of the National Rivers and HarborS (
congress visited the navy department. /
il was found that the department was
committed to the policy of building /
10 a great naval station at Guantau- /
amc before making any further in /
pI Cvements at the Gulf Yards This /
matter is now in the hands of a spec /
aI committee of this body. which has
sent out a preliminary circular TO {
commercial bodies in the Mississippi
valley. urging cooperation in pressure
On congress not 10 neglect gulf sta
lions. Replies thus far are not num-
orOUS enough to be encouraging. nor
definite enough to be significant. \
second publication is in course of /
pr eparation, also for general distribU-
ion.
Inland Waterways.
This Chamber of Commerce heart
Iy seconded the efforts Instituted by
leland J. Henderson, of ApaIachicoIa,
cooking to the establishment of inland
coastal water communication between
Mobile and the Florida peninsula
hence across the peninsula The