The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-09-07
HARTMAN LINES
REFUSE DEMANDS
SOUTHERN PACIFIC REFUSES To|
RECOGNIZE FEDERATION
OF EMPLOYEES.
NEITHER SIDE WILL BACK DOWN
Contends Such Action Would Hinder
Company IN Duty to Public
Union Leaders Taking
Strike Vote.

San Francisco. Sept. 4.-The South.
ern Pacific Railroad Company, through
Julius Kruttschnitt, vice president and
director of maintenance and operation
of the Hartman lines, rejected a de-
mand for recognition of the fedora
ton of shop employees, comprising five
unions and $4,000 men. Mr.. Krutt-
schnitt acted under full authority CIV
en- him by President Robert S. Lovett.
That such recognition, with its i'm
p~lications, would hamper the company
in performing its duty to the public,
was the position taken by it's officials.
Union leaders asked for it on
grounds of economy and expedition,
and Immediately because of a feeling
that greater Capitalization of capital
and power made corresponding cen
tralization among various unions de-
sirable. The unions involved had
asked their, general officers for per-
mission to strike in the event of the
refusal to grant recognition of the
federation.
Confer Over Three Hours.
A conference lasting three hours and
20 minutes was terminated by Mr..
Kruttschnitt's final answer and follow
ing it, the union representatives, So
berfaced, went into session by them
selves, to. consider the strike vote,
which they may accept as. binding or
may reject, refusing to sanction a
strike.
Those who conferred were:
For the railroad: Julius Kruttsch-
nit, E. E. Calvin, vice president and
general manager of the Southern Pa
cific; W. R. Scott, assistant general
manager; H. ]. Small, superintendent
of motive power; R. R. Cleary, assist
ant to the general manager, and F. G..
Ahern, chief of the bureau of conom
les.
For the unions: J. w. Kline, inter-
national president of the blacksmiths'
union; M. F. Ryan, general president
of the Brotherhood of Railway Car
men; ]. A. Franklin, international
president of the boilermakers' union;
]. D. Backalew, vice president of the
International Association of Machin-
lists, and j.. D. Crane, former president
Of the sheet metal workers union,
who represented his craft in the alb
n of President Michael O'Sullfvan.
of the international union.
President Kline presented the case
for the unions and replied to ques-
lions put to him by the railroad Off
Gals, who acted without a formal
spokesman during the discussion.
The railroad officials, in their turn,
took the position, already publicly an
nounced by Mr.. Kruttschnitt, that the
f%ederation's power and demands would
render it impossible for them to per-
form the duties and carry responsible
ties which are imposed upon them by
law, and which make them, in the
words of Mr.. Kruttschnitt, qnasi pub.
tic officials.
Union Leaders Anxious.
Union leaders have made no secret
of their anxiety to avert a strike. if
1t can be done, and means to that end
were %canvassed freely in their meet
ing.
Chicago, Sept. 4. = Representatives
of the international unions composing
the federated shop employees of the
Illinois Central, which has been re-
fused recognition by President Mark
ham. of the railroad, gave a 80 days
formal notice to the railroad that they
desire alterations in their contracts.
The union representatives also asked
for another conference with President
Markham.