The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-27
CANADIAN GOVT.
AIDS GRAND TRUNK
Modification of immigration Regula-
ton Is for Purpose of Admitting
Strike Breakers, Men Claim.

What the striking Grand Trunk
trainmen have been fearing for some
time has, they aver. come to pass
the relaxation of the Can.
adian immigration laws for the benent
OF the railroad. That the law prevent
ing workmen who sign contracts IN
d foreign country, or men VINO nave
not $25 in their pockets. from enter
ing Canada has been Withdrawn Is an
established tact, an order-in-councii 10
that effect having been passed by the
Dominion government. The latter ex-
plains that the setting aside OF the
regulation was for the purpose OF get
ting men from other countries TO
work on the construction OF the
Grand Trunk Pacific road, setting forth
that there Is a great scarcity or LABOR
in Canada.
The striking railway men, however,
take no stock in the governments ex-
PLANTATION. They maintain that there
is no great scarcity OF men in the Do
minion. and argue that the Withdraw
al Of the federal immigration reguia-
ton was done for the sole purpose OF
helping the Grand Trunk import
strike breakers. There Is much bitter
ness expressed by the striking train
men throughout the Dominion over
the governments action. Immigration
cfficers all along the border. including
Inspector Robinson of Windsor, have
been advised to admit all foreigners
coming into Canada for railway
service"
II am not surprised that the Can
adian government has come TO the aid
of the Grand Trunk" said one OF the
striking trainmen, Tuesday morning.
The government, you know, Is put
ting up large portion OF the money
for the construction OF the Grand
Trunk Pacific extension In the Can
adian northwest. So IL stands TO rea-
son that the government would be
willing and anxious TO help the
Grand Trunk In its present predica-
ment. However, suppose we ought
not to fear the removal of the immi-
grafton regulation, because the men
the Grand Trunk Is getting TO work
as strike-breakers cannot possibly do
us much harm. They are not the class
of men who can fill the places OF the
men on strike. Many OF them are
former employees of the road who were
discharged for different reasons. Any
way. regardless or their caliber. the
Grand Trunk cannot get enough OF
them to take our places"
Little Freight Moving.
Freight is still practically at a
standstill on the Grand Trunk lines
In Canada. No freight trains have
the company's terminals, since the
strike was started. and the same con-
ditions obtain at nearly every other
point on the Canadian system OF the
company.
Disinterested persons who have
business dealings with the Grand
Trunk in Detroit and who have occa'
sion to frequent the Brush-st. station
many times q day, are now OF the
opinion that the Grand Trunk is going
to lose the strike. They point out that
the company cannot possibly get
along with the strike-breakers now
taking the places OF the strikers.
The company is having a sweet
time of IL with the strike-breakers,
said close observer and one who is
in touch with the strike situation, al
the Brush-st station, Tuesday morn
ing. Two of the strike-breakers were
fred Monday night, for irregular con.
duct The company Is also finding
cut that many of the men hired don't
know the first rudiments OF railroad.
ing and are being let out as fast IA
trains can take them back to Chicago,
whence they came"
A. b. Atwater, assistant TO Presl.
dent Hays for the western district,
went to Pontiac, Tuesday morning, TO
make further efforts to induce the au-
thorities to give the company better
police protection.
In regard 10 the engagement OF the
strike-breakers> 1t has been said by
sympath,zers of the strikers that they
would be fired" in the event OF the
strike being settled. In reply to this
statement, Mr.. Atwater says the
Grand Trunk is morally bound To keep
the strike-breakers. as they have been
told that they would not be let out in
case the former employees got their
positions hack.
Nv shall have to keep the strike
breakers, come what may said Mr.
Atwater. Many OF them would not
hire with IFS until we gave them assur-
ance that they would be kept"
"Strike Won," Says Curtis.
we have the strike won now
emphatically stated f. p. Curtis, vice
president of the Order of Railway
Conductors, when asked by The Times
at the Hotel fuller, Tuesday morning.
II he thought there was any danger OF
the trainmen losing out. The words
OF Mr.. Curtis, man OF generous pro-
portions, standing over six feet, and
weighing close to 500 pounds, rang
with indignation as he spoke.
Asked to explain how he figured out
the victory. he said:
THE strike has been On now for
more than a week, and the Grand
Trunk has not been able 10 move more
than two per cent OF its freight. The
company has also been able TO move
but few of its passenger trains. But
even though the Grand Trunk were
moving 80 per cent OF its trains We
would still feel that We were the win
ners. The Grand Trunk, however, will
not get back to Its normal condition
within 10 years with the men II now
has running its trains. But we do not
expect tho company to experiment
that long with the new men for IL Is