The labor world., 1912-04-13
FACTS ARE EXPOSED
ON GREAT NORTHERN
Federation of Employees on All
Northwestern Railroads Is
~. Being Planned.

The carmen on the Great Northern
are still on the firing line. They are
making it warm for the railroad Off
cials. Some promising developments
are expected next week.
A general federation which will
comprise the employees of every rail-
road in the northwest is now being
organized, and unless the Great
Northern backs away from it's course
in opposing the organization of car
men, it may find to its sorrow that
it has courted a, whole lot of unneces-
sary trouble for itself.
The transcript of the evidence Sc
cured by the deputy commissioner
Of labor at Crookston has just been
typewriter. It furnishes some very
interesting information. The exam
ination was conducted by the county
attorney of Polk County. Minor
officials for the railroad company re-
fused tc answer every pertinent ques-
tion put to them. Later, however,
they changed their tactics, but no
admissions of an incriminatory char
acter we're made.
Member of Engineers.
]. w. Smith, the master mechanic
a. \'IOohStOH WIN IS d Il0luDeI OIL
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive En-
gineers, has been placed in rather
unenviable position as a member of
labor organization.
The testimony given by discharged
car inspectors shows that Mr.. Smith
puts such questions as this to the
men:
(Which do you prefer, your job
or your union?''
DO you think more of your union
than you do of your job?" .
One Of them asked him why is it
that we cannot be organized as we'll
as the engineers, to which Smith re-
piled: THE engineers have strong
union and they have had it for years.
but we don't want our car inspectors
or car repairers to be organized
From this it may be inferred that
weakness is the principal crime
charged against the carmen.
Used Common Tactics.
According to the Evidence of at
least a dozen men Smith called them
into his office individually and with
out disclosing his purpose put the
questions to them as follows:
Are you married?''
"How many children have you?"
"You have a hard time to support
your family on what you earn"
Have you your home paid for?"
Such questions as these were put
for the purpose of impressing on the
minds of the carmen that they and
their families would suffer if they
refused to follow his direction.
oil I've
could relative to the domestic con-
ditions of carman, Smith would
then put this question:: How would
you like to lose your job?" And
when the man asked for information
as to what he meant he invariably
replied: You must quit the union
or your job.''
Gruber Admits Order.
General Manager Gruber, it is said.
stated to w. F. Houk, commissioner
Of labor, E. G. Hall, president of the
State Federation of Labor, and John
B. Chubbuck, organizer for the
American Federation of Labor, that
he had issued instructions that the
carmen would not be permitted to or
ganize.
Taken all together it is evident
that the Great Northern railroad off,
cials have gotten themselves into a
bad boat. They may find before
they have finished that the law. of
Minnesota, protecting the citizen
rights of railroad employees, is even
greater than that of railroad, in
spite of the fact that it's principal
official may have powerful influence
with governor and state legis-
lature.