Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-27
RAILROAD UNIONS IN POLITICS
Eastern Delegates Vote to Make Con-
certed Effort on All Issues.
SETTLE QUESTIONS AT POLLS
Grand chief stone says 20 Vote for
Men, Not Parties-ouerieS 60
he sent TO the the Can
dIdRtes.

NEW YORK, Sept 26.-For the first
time in the history Of railway union, mem
hers and delegates representing 10000 men
of the four great divisions Of railway en-
ployes in the cast voted unanimously at
meeting yesterday to take concerted action
in national and state politics.
The proper place to settle questions af-
fectng labor is at the ballot box" said
Warren s, stone Of Cleveland, o., grand
chief of the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
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
be doing the best thing for yourselves, but
for the public.
This is not a political move at all, as
is generally understood, but a move to get
away from the old lines of partisan poll
ties"
series of Eight Questions.
In pursuance of this plan the meeting
voted to send out a series Of eight ques-
tions to state and national candidates, par
ticularly to candidates for the legislature
and house of representatives, asking for a
definition of attitude on the universal
adoption of safety appliances and an en-
ployers' liability law-where such does not
already eXlst-comDany pensions for su-
perannuated employees, hours OF labor and
other matters of kindred interest
The catechism will be drafted by w. g.
Lee of Cleveland, president Of the Brother
hood OF Railway Trainmen, and a. b. Car
retson of Cedar Rapids, Ia, president Of
the order of Railway Conductors, and by
them distributed TO all of the executive
officers of subordinate unions and locals.
There were 5000 members and delegates
| at the meeting today. representing the
| Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, the
| Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the
| Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and
| Enginemen and the order of Railway Con-
ductors. They met by announcement to
define their attitude toward the applica-
ton Of railways, now before the Interstate
Commerce commission, for permission to
increase rates and, as had been expected,
they passed resolutions favoring an in
crease.
| 1t was decided that this represen Ia tive
meeting of the railway brotherhoods re-
quest our chief executives to appear be-
fore the Interstate Commerce commission
|
state our case and support the proposals
TO reasonably increase the existing rates. 81
Operating Expenses Increased.
The legislative board or the Brotherhood
of Engineers of Pennsylvania, representing
10000 engineers, which recently concluded
sessions in Harrisburg, Pa, attended the
meeting today in a body and reported reso-
lutions which II was claimed typlfied the
attitude on the rate question of railway
employees in general as expressed in many
other scattered resolutions. They find thai
1.-The various railway companies by whom
our members are employed -
have recently enormously increased theii
operating expenses and fixed charges, BY
reason of a general increase in wages anC
the Increased cost of material and tbs
incessant demand of the public for i'm
proved facilities and service
In letter to NJ. Flannery, chairman o.
the executive committee of the engineer!
at Buffalo. Chief Stone expresses himself
in thorough sympathy with the movement
"One thing is sure" he writes, '''if thu
railroads are to continue to exist, SOM
way must be found to meet the CONSTANT!
increasing demand on their gross earnings.