South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-11-15
All Freight Trains on the
Southern Pacific Have Been
Abandoned and Rice Crop is
Ready for Shipment.
RAILROAD WILLING
TO TREAT WITH MEN
Issues Statement in Which 1t
Requests That Question be
Decided by Arbitration
President Takes Hand.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 10 Pres.
Wilson Friday night sent word TO
Judge w. Lea Chambers, commits
sioner of mediation and Cancellation,
now in New York. to get in touch
with the strike situation on the
Southern Pacific lines as quickly as
possible.
Earlier in the day the president
had called TO the attention of Assist.
Commissioner Hanger of the board
OF mediation and cOnciliatiOn, the
serious Embarrassment to traffic re-
sulting from the strike OF trainmen
and enginemen and urged him to go
TO New Orleans to arrange for media
tion if possible.
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 15.-Except
for two transcOntinental passenger
trains. one arriving and one leaving
here Friday, traffic on the Southern
Pacific railway In Louisiana is tied
up by the strike OF enginemen and
trainmen. An, EN- barge has been
placed on freight, the road will not
attempt to operate freight trains
and all passenger trains but the two
through trains have been annulled in
definitely
No Violence was attempted by
strikers and the crew was not sub
jected to the usual boots and jeers at
tending a strike. Local union Off
cials at a meeting Friday, told the
men that attempts at violence would
mean expulsion Of the perpetrators
from the union. They predict that
the strike will spread to the west.
Loss Is Threatened.
With the loss OF millions of dollars
staring sugar and rice producers OF
Louisiana in the face because of the
strike, business men here Friday
through a committee sent long mes
sage to Pres. Wilson appealing to him
personally TO intervene TO help set
tie the strike and learned with
pleasure that Assistant Commissioner
IIauger was coming. Cane producers
are in the midst OF harvesting a large
crop. Should frost come before it IS
hauled TO the mills. the loss viii be
heavy. The Southern Pacific travers-
IS the richest cane section probably
IN the United states.
Local Southern Pacific officials say
they examined 33 engineers Friday
who applied for work. They will not
he put on engines unless they come up
fully 10 normal requirements, road
officials say.
The officials also said the Switch
mems union of North Alabama We're
offering men to the company. Three
switching crews are in the Southern
Pacific yards but have little 10 do, as
union men working on other roads re-
fuse to accept freight handled by
men not affiliated with their unions.
Not even perishable freight Will be
handled, say the rail officials.
NEW YORK. Nov 14-Julius
KruttsChnitt. chairman of the execu-
tive committee of the Southern Pa
cine. announced Friday that the rail-
road company was willing 10 discuss
with a representative of the four Ia
EOr organizations now on strike the
question of inaugurating new system
of dealing with controversies through
a joint committee from all four or
ganizations.
The railroad company Is willing 10
discuss with a representative commit
tee from the four organizations con
Cerned the question of inaugurating
the system of dealing with cOntTo-
verisies through a joint committee
representing all four organizations .
reads Mr.. KruttsChnitts statement,
and if no agreement can be arrived
at. 10 have the controversy adjusted
in the manner provided by the recent
act OF congress.
1T is further willing 10 nave the
controversy over its refusal 10 grant
the demand actually made, adjusted
by the board of mediation and con-
ciliation or ny arbitration as provided
I'm the act of congress. More than
this cannot be reasonably required Of
f..
Duties Are Defined
The position of the officers of the
company in respect 10 the pending de-
mands of its employees has been m
performance OF their duties as they
are defined in the report of the inter-
state commerce commission. II the
company's employees have the same
regard for the commissions report
and recognize the duties which rail-
way employees as we'll as railway Off
Cials owe 20 the public. they VIII not
persist ina their demands. Certain IL Is
that n the travelling public had con-
elusive voice In the determination or
the controversy. "A due regard for its
rights would lead 90 its approval OF
the stand taken ~ the officers Of the
railroad. The question in a nutshell
Is. shall the company buy its peace
with employees at the price OF the
safety OF the public?
The answer must be given by the