Evening journal., 1914-01-26
RATLROAG MEN
RAP THE P.R.R.
BENEFIT PLAN
Continucd from First Page.


knew little of the new benefit organ
ization, he asked those present why
the railroad company had not shown
the employees the good things when
the men in the service we're young
Now they are afraid of the Broth
erhOods,' Mr.. Blaney said, "and are
trying to break them up by compell-
ing us to enter their new organiza-
tion.
Talk about American Liberty?"
Mr. Blaney then said that about five
years ago a certain railroad official
/ declared he would wine out the Broth
erhoods He believed that the pro-
posed benefit association was a step
/ In that direction. Mr.. Blauey then
spoke OF the achievements OF the
brotherhoods and referred to the
strike on the Delaware and Hudson
Railroad Company last week when
two discharged men were reinstated
after the entire line had been tied up.
"The victory was not much but the
solidarity OF the workers won their
battle the speaker added
Mr.. Blaney said he had been en-
ployed by a railroad company for
twenty-four years and he felt as il the
company owned him that many thou
sands OF dollars. In conclusion the
speaker said that all should think
twice before joining the new organ
ization.
Telegraphers Keep Up Fight.
j. F. Miller, an organizer OF the
telegraphers on the PENNSYLVANIA
lines, asserted that his Brotherhood
would stand behind all the other or
ganizations in their desire for better
] conditions. He said that since the
/ recent trouble with the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company the telegraphers
had become stronger and that the
| Brotherhood has succeeded In in
creasing the mems pay from $40 a
month to $65 and the hours OF labor
had been reduced. Mr.. Miller in
| speaking Of his own organization s
effort to better working conditions
said:
I'VE are still in the fight on the
! Pennsylvania system and we know
no defeat and are better prepared to
| fight than ever before"
Speaking OF the plan proposed by
the new mutual association. Mr.. Mil
! Ter said that the men knew what
/
! through a grievance committee head
ed by a division operator, when those
same division heads went over the
road during the recent trouble and
asked the men IL they were going to
"forsake the company that had been
! loyal to them, sheltered and feed
them on forty dollars a month"
Mr. Miller closed his address by
} ms lii To- oil 90
the company on the road as well as
in the shops to organize. saying in
such organizations there was
strength.
The last speaker OF the afternoon
was l.. +. Sheppard, of Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, senior vice-president of the Or
der OF Railway Conductors. In open
ing his address Mr.. Sheppard said he
was glad TO see so many employees and
officials OF the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company present, as he expected the
latter would hear of what he had TO
say. Mr.. Sheppard said he had much
10 say concerning the Pennsylvania
system, which he had labored for for
twenty years and what he was going
TO say was not with malice, but said
with regret. He then spoke of the
attitude Of the company in sacrificing
everything that was humane for dis
cipline"
at is we'll known fact that the
relations of the men toward the COM
pany are not what they should be, nor
what they we're some years ago" he
said.
"As for the new organization" the
speaker said. 1T will succeed II IL is
good, otherwise IL will fall Mr..
Sheppard also spoke OF the benefits
derived from organizations such as
the fve brotherhoods and in conclu-
sion he warned all TO guard their or
ganizations as conditions on the sys-
TEN were critical
Association Again Attacked.
Another large audience greeted the
evening speakers. NJ. II. Tilghman,
a member-at-large of the Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen, from this city,
was chairman. In calling the meet
ing to order MIR. Tilghman stated that
It was for the purpose of discussing
the new association that is being or
ganized by the Railroad Company,
and Is to be known as the Pennsyl-
vania Mutual Benefit Association. He
spoke Of the bad wage conditions
that existed years ago and contrasted
them with the conditions of today,
declaring that the unions were the
real causes of all the wage increases
Mr.. Tilghman then introduced NJ. T.
/ Robinson as the first speaker
Mr.. Robinson said he would not at
tempt TO go deeply into the affairs Of
the new association because he knew
very little about il. He said that
the present Voluntary Relief Associa-
tion did not hurt the railroad or
ganizations and he could not say what
the effect Of the new association
would be on the old branches of the
union. Mr.. Robinson advised the
men TO hold TO what is good and moi
give it up for something which they
d know very little about
! In speaking Of the per cent. in.
crease in freight rates which the .ail
roads are asking the Interstate Com
merce Commission 70 grant them. Mr.
Robinson said: III the railroads car
4 convince the commission that the fv,
per cent increase in rates will no
go into dividends. bnt will go into tn,
& roadbed. equipment and maintenance
, the increase should be allowed. I
is all the more reason why you ma,
! expect an increase in your wages,
the speaker said.
o Mr.. Wenrich was the next speaker
! He declared that he believes the new
organization is being organized &,
hinder the brotherhoOds and there 1
no reason why another organization
should be put in the field. He spok
Of the Delaware and Hudson Railroa,
n strike last unok and cofa ,,-;tt, t1,