Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-02
LETTERS TO THE
e EDITOR q.
PIERCE MAKES REPLY


In your paper last night I notice
an article on front page, titled Train
man Takes Whack at Pierce" AL
ways believing you to be fair to all
concerned. l am asking you to print
the following in answer thereto.
In the first place there isn't a word
OF truth in the entire statement sup
posed to have emanated from Mr.
Lees office, outside of that part of his
letter wherein he quotes a letter sent
out by myself to the men who Joined
this organization informing them of
the action of the transportation en-
ployes.
This is a true statement that was
made by w. G. Lee, in the Board of
Trade Hall on Sunday afternoon, No
vember 80, 1918, and repeated in
| Whites Hall by him on the same
evening to the shopmen and trainmen
and others who attended the said
meetings.
(Lee's Statement.) 1--WE have 1885,
600 members and $S,0O0,OO0 in our
treasury and we will spend every cent
of 1t IL the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad dis
charge any man for joining a union,
and, while ] cannot speak for my as
Sociate grand lodge officers, l am sure
| voice their sentiments"
Now, Mr.. Editor, l am this date
posting S25 with c. G. Shelly, and
will post $25 more within thirty days,
making $50, and l hereby challenge
w. G. Lee, president of the Brother
hood of Railroad Trainmen, to joint
debate in the city of Harrisburg, and
if l do not prove every statement [
have made in this article then he is to
have my $50, and l will make this
proviso, that | will give three months
salary to any charitable institution II
he will do the same, that the editor
of this paper may name. And leave
the decision to the men who attend
the meeting who is correct in their
statements and who is entitled to the
money. Understand, as soon as Mr.
Lee or his representatives. signify
their intention of accepting this chal-
lenge, the entire amount to be de-
bated for must be placed in the hands
of the editor of the Telegraph.
These are the subjects l will prove
or lose the money:
First That Lee lied to the men
about what the trainmen would do
If the company discharged them for
belonging to a union when he was in
| Harrisburg on November 80, 1918.
Second. That there isn't a word of
truth in his statement as published in
the official organ of the Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen for September
about me, excepting that part where
he reprints a letter sent out by me to
the men.
Third That Lee was only elected
at the last convention of the b. of
R. T. by only 27 majority, and would
have been defeated if he had not ap-
piled strong arm tactics.
Fourth I hereby stand ready to
post another $50 that Lee will be de-
nz-f /, I,a
allows his name to be presented to the
convention.
Fifth. That he is afraid to allow a
convention to be called at this time,
for he we'll knows he would be defeat
ed should there be one called.
Sixth. That w G. Lee is the most
unpopular labor leader in the United
States.
Seventh That the article printed in
| September issue of the 3. of r. T.
! journal pertaining to the reason why
the trainmen and conductors are not
now in a Western wage movement is
not correct and is misleading to the
men.
Eighth. That Mr.. Lee is mis-
representative of the men and
traitor to all classes of railroadmen;
that he is a strikebreaker.
Ninth. That he never dared to print
what he knows about J. K Turner,
of Cleveland, for fear that he (Tur-
ner) would print what he knows about
| Lee, and what Lee was doing when
elected as vice president and who fur
nished the money to pay Lees eX-
penses to the convention,
Tenth. That Lee reinstated Robin
son, Huber and Derrick because they
had the goods on him
Eleventh. That Lee knows a lot
about misrepresentation and nothing
about veracity.
Now, if I fail to make good in any
statement that is contained in this
challenge, 1 will forfeit everything.
Yours truly
W. II. PIERCE.