Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-01
GEORGIA TRAINNEN
VOTE FOR WALK OUT
IF DEMANDS IGNORED
Union Employees Say That
Only Hope to Prevent a Gen
eral Strike Is for Road to
Make Concessions

Especial Dispatch to The Journal)
AUGUSTA. Ca. sept s0-Employes OF
the Georgia Railroad company, who are
members of the Order of Railway Con-
1uctors and the Order Of Railway Train
men. have overwhelmingly voted for
strike on the Georgia system unless the
railroad is willing to reinstate conduc-
tor j. T. Paschal. alleged to have been
discharged June 5. for reported violation
of the sixteen-hour law.
The overwhelming vote for walkout
was confirmed here Monday afternoon by
Vice Presidents T. A. Gregg. Of the Or
der of Railway Conductors, and James
Murdoch. Of the Order Of Railway Train
men.
A final conference viii be held between
the employees and the officials OF the
Georgia Railway company Monday after
noon.
The officials of the trainmen stated
that they were unwilling to announce
the exact time at which the men viii
walk out until after the anai conference
with the railroad officials.
Union men here say that the entire
Georgia system will be paralyzed if the
strike is called.
Superintendent W. S. Brand, Of the
Georgia railroad. whose voluminous cor
respondence with the union officers over
the trouble has been published in PAM
phlet form. declared at 2 o'clock Mon
day afternoon that he had received no
communication from the union officials
during the day.
He says that he win make absolutely
no statement until the union men Of
fciaIly make known the result Of their
ballot.
Mr.. Brand. in the published CORE
spondence. however. has repeatedly re-
fused the request of the union men to
reinstate the conductors. ]. 7. Paschai
or A. NJ. Morgan. and it is not believed
here that he win change his attituds
when the result Of the strike ballot 10
known to him.
SAYS LAST RESORT
Vice President Gregg In his statement
declared that the strike is the last re-
sort after many overtures for a settle.
ment of difference Of union and the
company
NO one could hate to see a striks
more than do he says. 'but the mei
have voted and win so out unless the
COMPANY is willing to grant our re-
quest that it reinstate the two men whs
were discharged without fault"
The case Of Conductor PaschaI seems
to nave started the entire trouble. He
was discharged on June 5, for an al
legged violation of the sixteen-hour law.
II is said that he allowed his engines
to work a few minutes over the tins
limit
The union men maintained that
Paschal. because he was a member OF
d union committee. the grievance COM
mittee. had antagonizeds the railroad
officials because Of his position IN the
union They declare that he would
have been forced to stop mis- train be
tween towns to avoid a technical VIC
lation Of the sixteen-hour law.
In his correspondence with the union
officials. AR. Brand declares that Con
ductor Paschal was discharged for tho
violation of a national law, namely
portion of hour service law Of 1907, al
act designed for the protection of rail.
s;oad employees and that the ''weakening
of discipline always carries with weak
ening of discipline recklessness and
other kindred horrors
In view of the attitude assumed by this
railroad throughout the correspondence.
there seems to be Lite probability Of its
officials taking action during the after.
noon, which viii prevent the trainmen
and conductors leaving their work.
Mr. L. s. Davis, chairman IN Augusta.
Of the Brotherhood OF Locomotive En-
Journal Monday afternoon that the at
titude of the Georgia railroad engineers
in the trainmen's strike would be neutral
He further explained that they could
not strike through sympathy
The count Of the ballots was finished
Monday shortly after noon, and the re-
suit announced TO superintendent W. S.
Brand Neither side will make any
statement OF the result until after
conference. Railroad employees say.
however, that strike is certain unless
the company meets the demand Of the
union.
1t is believed that If the strike is de-
clared, it viii completely tie up the
railroad. and it is probable that no at
tempt will be made to operate trains for
several days,
The strike. il declared, viii affect about
900 members OF the Order of Railway
Conductors and the Order Of Railway
Trainmen. According to the statements
of the employees the tie-up of the road
win be complete. It is also limited that
the strike, Nif declared on the Georgia
railroad win result IN a probable walk
out OF employees on other southern rail
way lines.
The alleged grievances Of the employees
include the demand for the reinstate-
ment of J. T. Paschal a conductor, who
was discharged. 1t is said. on June
for an alleged violation OF the sixtee n
hour law. 1t is said that he allowed
his engineer to work overtime. although
he himself did not The company re-
fused to reinstate PaschaI it IS said
and the ballot for q strike resulted.
MILEAGE OF ROAD.
The Georgia railroad system has .
total mileage of 336 miles. Its princl-
pal line is operated from Atlanta to Au-