The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-10-10
How Railway Hen Feel Over
Strike on Hartman Lines.
Believe Uniens Struck Because
They Couldn't Back Down.
WHO WILL MANAGE?
If Strikers Lose It Will Be
Great Victory for Roads.
Other Items of General Interest
OF Traffic World.

Here is how the Railway Age-Ga-
zette feels over the Hartman strike
order:
1t was not the unexpected that hap
pened when the officers of The fedora
lions of shop employees of the Harri-
man lines and the Illinois Central last
week ordered their members to strike.
By their demands, and especially by
OF these organizations had committed
themselves SO far that when the rail-
way managers refused to grant any
thing that they asked for they had no
choice except either to order a strike
or to ignomiEiously- back down and
suffer incurable loss of prestige.
That the stand the railway managers
have taken is right is conceded, we
think, by almost all fair-minded per-
sons who know the facts.
However, it is not true that the re-
fusal of recognition of the declarations
was the sole cause of the strikes. The
decorations has formulated numerous
demands which they proposed to make
on the railways and which they I'M
doubtedly would have pressed imme
diately If they had been recognized.
These demands included reductions in
hours of work; increases in pay, aboli-
ton of the requirements regarding
physical examination of, and the fur
nishing of personal records by candi-
dates for employment; the closed shop,
the abolition of the piece, premium and
they exist and their norestablishment
where they do not obtain, ETC. When
the railway managers refused to rec
ognize the declarations they were large
ly Influenced by the fact that they saw
these other demands in the background.
and perceived that if they did recog-
nize the declarations, they would there
by greatly increase the power of the
unions and render themselves much
less able to resist these other demands;
and when the employees struck, they
did so not so much because their fed
erations were not recognized, as be-
cause they saw that only after com
polling such recognition could they hope
to cOerce the railway managers into
granting their unreasonable demands
regarding wages and conditions of en-
ployment.
victory for the strikers would mean
unreasonable conditions of employ
Dnent, unreasonable advances in wages
and a dangerous addition to the power
of the leaders of the unions. ictory
for the railways will mean that those
chosen to manage them and held re-
sponsible for their management by both
the owners and the public, will be al
lowed 10 continue to manage them- II
probably will not mean lower wages
or worse conditions OF employment but
it may-and let us hope that it will
mean a practical recognition or the fact
that railways have the same right as
ether industries, and, because Of the
PUBIC Oh Lu6lA SS1N4CSs q
clearer duty to so adjust the compen-
sation of their employees and to so
fix their conditions Of employment as
to conduct their operations with rea-
sonable efficiency and economy.
The strike comes at a time that is
peculiarly favorable to the roads. Many
men are out of employment who are
glad to take the places of those who
have quit. The equipment of the rail-
ways involved is in good repair, and
there is a good deal of it out of SER
vice which can be put into service as
fast as that in use need repair. Prompt
ed by consideration of their own self
interest, as well as by loyalty to the
roads, mary of those ordered to quit
work have refused. The indications
are theref pre-, that the losses that Will
be incurred by railway corporations
and the inconvenience that will be suf-
fered by the public will for consid-
cradle time, at least be small. and that
if the managers are properly backed
up by those whose battles they are
fighting, the strike will be a failure.
result which will be good for the rail-
ways, good for the public and, in the
long run. good for the employees them /