The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-07-23
Boston Elevated Railroad EN-
pIoyes are Encouraged
BY A TECHNICAL VICTORY
In Addition to Hearing Their Testimony,
District Attorney Pelletier Summoned
Officials of the Company in Connec-
ton with Serious Charges.

:, Boston, July 23.-Having gained what
they look upon as technical victory be-
fore the Massachusetts state board OF
conciliation and arbitration, the strik-
ing employees of the Boston Elevated
Railroad company to-day placed some al
legged grievances before the grand jury.
at the invitation of District Attorney
Pelletier.
The district attorney also summoned
before the grand jury William a. Ban
croft president of the Boston Elevated
company, and James NJ. Prendergast end
James l.. Richards, director OF the same.
in connection with investigation of the
charges of perjury and cocerion against
several division superintendents of the
company. II is expected that the investi-
CATION will continue for several days.
Governor Foss and Mayor Fitzgerald
to-day decided to ask a committee Of
the company to conference at the State
House. The governor said that if the
committee appeared it would be asked
to restore the striking motormen and
conductors.
Report of the State Board.
Reporting last night on its inyestiga
tion Of the strike the state board OF con-
ciliation and arbitration found in favor
of the strikers. The employees were jus
titled in believing many were discharged
because of the formation of a union, the
report says, and il recommends that the
two parties confer and come to some
amicable agreement for the benefit of all
concerned.
The report reviews the evidence pre-
sented before it as showing that the em
ployes had formed a union and that inn
mediately thereafter some 262 men were
discharged for various offences, l49 of
the number without explanation other
than unsatisfactory services" The evil
dence showed, also, that the company re-
fused to receive committee from the
union which came to present demands,
for the reason that the men on the COM
mittee were no longer employees.
The arbitration boards report, states
that the situation obviously aroused the
temper of the men to a point beyond con-
troll and some 1900 employees voted to
strike Notwithstanding the company
contends no strike existed, inasmueh as
all the cars were running on schedule,
the board Declares
"A strike exists so long as those who
strike maintain an organization or by
action continue in the endeav-
or TO secure the object which they seek
to obtain"
Quoting the state law which states
that no person shall coerce or compel a
person to join or become member Of a
labor organization as a condition of his
securing employment or continuing in
the employment OF such person, the
board, in a final summing up states:
Upon the evidence presented, the
BOARD finds that the men were justified |
n the belief that men had been discharg- |
because of their membership in the UNI
on. or their activity in its formation, |
ind that the company was responsible !
therefore.
1T appears by the evidence that many |
If the company's cars are being operated !
~ men whose conduct does not merit the |
approval of the travelling public; that |
here has been neglect. diseourtesy and |
on the part OF many employees,
hat conductors have been seen to collect |
ares without recording them by the de- |
rice furnished for that purpose. This
after abuse of the public and the com
,any has a decided tendency to make the
Ugh standard of honesty which is so es
ental to our social and industrial struc-
ure.
"The existing controversy seriously af
eets the public interests, and the board
eeommends to the parties that in con
erence they endeavor by agreement to
accomplish an amicable settlement
which shall be alike just to the company
md its employees and the public which
{ is its duty to serve"