The San Francisco call., 1910-09-26
.RAILWAYMEN
VOTE TO ERASE
PARTISAN lines
Great Meeting of Employees Is
Moved to United Action
by Speakers
Delegates Representing $4,000
r WOrkingmen Will Demand
S.: Protective Laws
To Draft Catechism to All Cam
didates Asking Them How
They Stand

lew YORK, Sept. 25.-For the first
" time in the history Of railway
unions members and delegates
{ representing $4,000 men of the four
: great divisions OF railway employees in
the east voted unanimously at a meet
ing here today TO take concerted action
in national and state politics.
The proper place to settle questions
- affecting labor is at the ballot box. -"
D.. said Warren s. Stone of Cleveland. O..
grand chief Of the brotherhood of loco
motive engineers
Whatever your political Affiliations
do not let party lines blind you to
: your true interest or prevent you from
doing what you think is best and right.
See that the men you vote for stand
for the right principles. regardless Of
party. and support those men who meet
the requirements and you will not only
he doing the best thing for yourselves
but for the public
. Party Lines Effaced
This is not a political move at all
Is is generally understood. but a move
10 get away from the old lines of par
= tisan politics.
In pursuance of this plan. the meet
: ing voted to send out series Of eight
questions to state and national candi-
dates, particularly to candidates for
the legislature and house of represen-
. tatives asking for 2 definition Of their
attitude on the universal adoption of
safety appliances and an employers
liability law-where such does not al
ready exist-company pensions for su-
perannuated employees, hours of labor
and other matters of kindred interest.
This catechism viii be drafted by W.
O. Lee. president Of the Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen. and by A. B. Car
-rettson. president of the Order of Rail
way Conductors and by them distrib-
uted 10 all executive officers of subor-
dinate unions and locals.
5000 Delegates Attend
/ There were 5000 members and dele
gates at the meeting today, represent
ing the brotherhood of railway train
men, the brotherhood of locomotive en-
gineers. the brotherhood of locomotive
hremen and enginemen and the order
Of railway conductors.
They met by announcement to define
their attitude toward the application
of railways now before the interstate
commerce commission for permission
TO Increase rates and. as had been ex
pected. they passed resolutions favor
ing an increase.
It was decided that this representa-
: tive meeting OF the railway brother
hoods request our chief executives to
appear before the interstate commerce
commission during the pending rate
hearing and state our case and support
:: the proposals reasonably to increase
:. the existing rates"
!: The legislative board of the brother
hood OF engineers of Pennsylvania.
representing 10000 engineers, which
g.: recently concluded session in Harris
burg, Pa, attended the meeting in a
body and reported resolutions which. it
was claimed, typihed the attitude on
the rate question Of railway employees
in general, as expressed in many other
Slattered resolutions.
fFavOr Rate Increases
They find that the various railway
: companies, by whom our members are
!, employed have recently
enormously increased their operating
= Expenses and fixed charges by reason
OF d general increase in wages and
. the fncrea sed cost of material and +ta
: fncessant demand OF the public for i'm
proved facilities and service"
In a letter to NJ. Flannery, chairman
. Of the executive committee of the en-
gineers at Buffalo, Chief Stone ex-
pressed himself in thorough sympathy
. with the movement.
"One thing is sure" he writes, IF
the railroads are 10 continue to exist
some way must be found 10 meet the
constantly increasing demand on their