Evening journal., 1914-01-26
RAILROAD MEN
RAP THE P.R.R.
BENEFIT PLAN
Union Men inSunday Meeting
Think Brotherhood Plan
Good Enough
WANT INCREASED FREIGHT
RATE TO BENEFIT WORKERS

Railroad workers Of the city on
the Pennsylvania Railroad, who are
affiliated with the Order Of Railway
Conductors, Brotherhood Of Locomo-
tive Firemen and Enginemen, Broth
erhood OF Railway Trainmen and Or
der OF Railroad Telegraphers. held
public meetings In the Garrick Thea
tre yesterday. discussing topics of in
terest to the workers, including the
proposed new benefit association.
which was condemned, and increased
freight rates. which one speaker
favored. provided the money does not
go TO pay dividends There were
sessions in the afternoon and even
ing. NJ. r. Robinson. chairman OF the
legislative committee of the b. r. T.,
of Pennsylvania: A. G. Beaney, or
Cleveland, organizer of b. l.. F., and
J. Il. Miller, organizer of the Penn
sylvania Railroad telegraphers, and
L. E. Shepherd, OF the o. r. c., speak
ing in the afternoon. and NJ. n.
Robinson, B. r. r.; p. A. Wenrich.
b. r. r.; NJ. L. Sheppard, o. r c.;
A. c. Blainey. B. L. H., and j. Il. Mil
Ter, o. II. r., addressing the railroad
men In the evening. Large audi
ences were the rule
Benefit Association Attacked.
At the afternoon session which was
presided over by John T.. Godfrey, the
workers attacked the Pennsylvania Mn
tual Benefit Association, which it b
claimed is being sanctioned by the man
agemont of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
That the union men or at least ma
iority of them viii fight this new asso-
citation was the opinion shared by the
speakers at the afternoon session. When
Mr.. Godfrey, of the Brotherhood of L0-
comotivc Engineers introduced NJ. T..
Robinson, chairman of the legislative
committee of the b. II. r., of pennsyl-
yania as the first speaker, the railroad
crs present were liberal with their ap-
plause
Mr.. Robinson said the object OF the
meeting was 10 consider the organiz-
ing of the new mutual benefit society by
the railroad managers. MIR. Robinson
, said he WIS not familiar with the rules
and bv laws of the new association but
? whit he had read OF them had
been enough
e "rhis organization, according TO those
e who being asked ga Join Il, vii
/ give his am increase IN insurance 40
Z. lesser cost. III this wcrc true IT. woul'
be- eoad. but we all know that on
J. broihcrhoods have at times enabled nj
to settle grievances We have been tol'
Y that the new organization will enable u
!, to do this better and also az less cost
But the constitution provides that tn
y grievances of the engineers viii be re-
icrred TO O committee composed OF thre
l. engineers and two officials of the com
- pany perhaps the road foreman or tn
foreman of the roundhouse. OF tn
trainmen's committee the chairman o
T. the committee would be the train mas
d ter or his assistant
Is 81 have always been opposed Il
l. tramping down that which has beel
d organized after a struggle and / knoy
"a the railroad company will have trou
BILE I'm organizing the proposed de
n partment While not convcrsant wit
"a all the rules Of this association. I vii
y choose the fat goose in place Of I'll
l. lean one every time"
Mr.. Robinson also spoke Of tn
n Pennsylvania company ordering trai
h crews living at Harrisburg to mov
TO Marysville, Pa, where they woul
% be nearer the starting point Of thei
e runs. This he branded as an injus
tice, saying he would not remove hi
family TO a town whose school facili
ties we're poor and churches scarce
4 lin conclusion, Mr.. Robinson said ths
i. this rule of the company was but
forerunner Of an order to be issue
= lcompelling all train crews TO resid
"a within an hours distance from thei
~ work.
"a =. f,,.,,o,- 80 f,f,.-o1,,a ptf. .
ne A. I. blahey' Oh OieNeiahu' Onio'
Continued on Page Six.