Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-11-12
UNIONS IN STRIKE
HEARING CLAIM
VICTORIES
Judge Chambers Declares He
Will Not Allow Real Issues
To Be BeCIouded.

Union leaders scored what they con-
slider victory in several points today
at the third days session Of the arbiters
in the Georgia railroad strike Judge
William l.. Chambers announced that
the board unanimously decided that the
only bulletin to be considered in the
evidence was that issued November a.
1911, prescribing how the 16-hour law
should be complied with; that the board
would consider that trainmen under
stood the bulletin to mean that they
should stay on duty 16 hours and then
go of duty. even If the expiration of the
time caught them at such point that
they would have to proceed on to the
next station or stop; that no more eX-
traneous testimony should be intro
duced tending to waste time. and that
no more questions be put to Witnesses
on yhe distance between Conycrs and
Lithonia, except to an expert whom the
road expects 20 summon. On all these
points the board was unanimous. and
the desire seemed 10 be to hurry
through. so that the question of wheth-
er or not Conductor Paschai violated
The bulletin could be determined.
Can't 5coIoud Issue.
James Murdoch, Of the union forces,
declared that it was the evident pur-
pose of the road officials to becloud the
actual facts with a lot of eXtraneuus
testimony. but Judge chambers said
well, IL chat is what they're trying,
they won't succeed"
Mr.. Murdoch reiterated his charge.
made from the beginning that Interior
motives caused the dismissal of Con
ductor Paschal and the claim that Pas
chal did not violate the bulletin. This
bulletin was issued additional to a bull
letin of 1908, which set forth the pro-
visions OF the Federal law. which pro-
hibited employees working more than
16 hours continuously. In the old bull
letin there was no provision it is stated,
for getting rid of trains caught be-
tween points by the expiration OF time,
,bu the new one made such provisions,
as follows:
ITO engineers, Trainmen, Firemen and
Conductors.
"TQ comply with the hours OF serv-
ice law. the period Of duty should be
computed from the time the employee
actually goes on duty to the time he is
relieved of his engine or train. Ia a
train is. caught without instructions on
the main line at any point by the ex-
piration of the 6-hour period. the crew
viii place the train on the sidetrack. 10
on duty and report action To the dis
patcher.
w. $. BRAND, Superintendent
Brand Defends Road.
This means, according to the union
leaders. that it is impossible at times 10
comply with the rule since a man
caught between stations after working
IL hours would have to go on TO a stop
where ne could sidetrack his train. The
company on the other hand, interprets
the rule to mean that the men mus
take time OUT of 10 hours To perform
such feat
Mr.. Brand made for the first time a
vigorous defense of the road, declaring
that in only four cases had an inspector
OF the interstate commerce commission
found grounds for Federal suit grow
ing out Of violations
The railroads scored a point by the
exclusion of a Southern railway engi-
neer put up as a witness by the unions
the court holding that his evidence
would he merely cumulative
a message to NJ. Shedd, Georgia
engineer, was read which ordered thu
engineer to proceed with his train in
regardless Of the l6-hour Law. There
were several other witnesses and points
already covered were rehearsed.