Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-20

MT. wattIes: mo, not yet; not just
yet.
The verdict Of your own union men f.
that this company has a contract with the
national officers of this association that
you represent that they shall not ign
contract in any way asking us and reask-
ing us not only to violate that agreement
but to violate our solemn obligation and
word with our nonunion men, and I am
here to say. first, last and forever, and
you can take it back and say to your men
as enthusiastically as say it, that we are
not going to sign this or any other con-
tract with the local union existing among
our employees
Mr.. Linahan: May 1 have a word
now?'
Mr.. Wattles: IT am not quite through
yet, sir. / will be through in a moment,
and then will hear you one at a time.
80 much for the contract part of it,"
Mr.. Gillian: I'VE are glad you have
stated your position"
Mr.. wattles: Now regarding the at
fairs Of the men, some of which are
touched on in this proposed contract here:
/ have said to our men, Individually and
collectively, at all times, and l repeat IT
to you here now. There is no matter that
is so small nor no matter that is so large
that concerns the employees of this street
railway company Of which l am president,
that I won't at any and all times talk
with you about and consider with you and
advise with you; and not only that, but
1 will do as 1 have done in the past-I
will not only advise with the men in our
employ, regardless Of whether they are
union men or not, but when / find that
a Just and fair grievance exists of any
sort or kind, against this company, II it
is within my power l will correct 1t. Now
that goes to every man in the employ of
this company. You men are here today, a
committee of you. Some Of you have been
here as individuals. l ave not seen as
much of you as l would like to have seen,
nor Of the other employees OF this COM
pany. They have come in here and have
said to me this. or that, or the other thing
and they have never gone out without a
courteous reply and without fair treat
ment, no matter what their complaint
was, whether it was a personal one to
themselves or whether 1t was ysomething
| that pertained to the whole management
Of this property-it has always had fair
and honest and open treatment from me
and they will always get it, and they
have always left here satisfied And
the surprising thing to me, gentle
men, about this whole revival that is go
ing on here, in which the officers OF this
company are held up TO you as bad men,
as men that are not inclined TO be fair
and right, the surprising thing to me is
that some of you men that sit ana near
that talk do not resent 1t to the limit.
CT could tell you men OF things that
have happened in this very room, not
only with union men but nonunion men,
that would make you blush for shame
that you had men in your association
that would hear the officers OF this com
pany maligned in any way and not stand
up and deny 1t.
"They have come here in their per-
sonal troubles and they never went away
empty handed-not one of them. They
/ have come to ask favors of all and every
kind. Every one of them was granted
with pleasure. Why? Because | have
been a laboring man myself. l have been
a poor man myself. / know every step
OF the ladder from absolute and abtect
poverty right all the way up along the
line. have worked by the day. l
have worked for smaller pay than you
men are getting today. l have done ev-
erything that you have done. I have
saved and economical and worked Sun
days and nights and all the time to bet
ter my condition as l have gone through
life, and so when / come and hear the
stories of you men and your troubles,
they appeal to me; they put me back to
the time when l used to 90 out and have
to dig and work along as you men are
working, and sympathise with every
one of you; and II you have never tested
tina sympathy, come and test II is my
invitation. Instead OF holding meetings
down here plotting against your employ
ers, try to see II you can disrupt this
situation. You ought TO be passing re-
solutions commencing the men that you
have got and the institution that you are
working for.
Now I have wandered from the sub
ject a little bit, but I have opened the
gate here to you and I repeat, II there
is anything written down here that you
want TO talk to me about and want 10
know what the position OF the company Is
going TO be regarding Il. l am here to
tell you; / am here TO meet you fairly
/ and honestly and discuss with you as
men. / want TO know II you have got
any real troubles among your men, and
II you have, TO help you adjust them,
Now II you want 10 meet me on that
basis the meeting il open for you TO talk
as long and as much as you want to-"
Mr.. Linahan: Mr., Wattles, you have
covered one point clearly, and the words
that you have used show that you are
; Very obstinate In regard 70 signing any
contract.
The words that you yourself have
used clearly show that. Now, inAsmuch
9 as you do not desire 10 sign a contract
such as the employees OF this company
have asked OF you, are you willing Il
srbitrate the whole OF the grievances be
fore three disinterested persons. the com
pany naming one, the organization which
4" We represent naming the other, and III,