The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-18
RAILROADS DEN1lOBBYINC
IN FULL Crew Law FIGHT
oficials Issue Statement in Answer to
Charge That They Are Using Un-
fair Methods in Effort to influence
Legislation in State


executive committee of the railroads
that are seeking repeal of the full crew
laws in this Stare and New Jersey of
the truth of charges made in this city
that the railroads were maintaining a
lobby in the Legislature to influence ia
vorable action
The statement is signed by Samuel
Rea, president of the Pennsylvania rail.
road; Theodore Voorhees,, president of
the Philadelphia aud Reading railway;
Daniel Willard, president of the Bal
tin.ore and Ohio railroad, and X. L..
o O'Donnel, chairman of the executive
committee of the roads which have
joined in the campaign for repeal of
the laws referred to.
The charge of unfairness on, the
part of the railroads in their methods
of seeking to obtain the repeal of the
full crew law is alleged to have been
made by some of the representatives OF
railroah employees organizations.
The railroad officials statement fol
lows:
Information received from Harris
burg indicates that certain underhand
and wrong methods are being pursued
to prevent repeal of the full crew law.
The railroads are not responsible. They
will stoop TO no such measures. Their
ease has been taken directly to the
court of public opinion. and all the
facts, all the exhibits, all the argu-
ments will be in the open.
1.-The railroads challenge proof of
any lobby of the kind that the public
understands by that word. There is
none, nor viii there be any. With that
statement, we also assert the inalien-
able right of any and every citizen to
talk with and write TO his elected repre-.
sentatives, ana to impress upon them in
every honest way his views, whatever
they are. 1t is the privilege of every
railroad employe to do this. The rail
roads. have no objection.
"There is no thought to coerce
trainmen or other railroad employees
into support of the movement fer re.
peal of the full crew laws. We seize
this opportunity TO ask for proof that
coercive or improper methods have
been taken by any railroad officer. Let
us have it, and the man or men guilty,
no matter what their positions in the
service, will be disciplined.
'The railroads are taking the full
crew law TO the people The Brother
hood of Railroad Trainmen make spe-
eifie protest against such appeal to the
court of public opinion. They did this
in the statement issued February IL.
Charging the railroads with having
undertaken to lobby through repeal of
the full crew law. the trainmen' s or
ganization evidently desires to confne
the issue within the walls of the State
Capitol. Speaking of the railroad an
nouncement, they say:
g Briefly stated, their announce
ment declares they intend to present
the question of the repeal of the fal.
crew laws to the public, but why is left
to conjecture. The power TO repeal the
laws is vested in the Legislature. The
Senators and Representatives in the
General Assembly are chosen by the
people to perform such service, and-sa e
Constitution of the Commonwealth De
c lares that the legislative power of this
Commonwealth shall be vested in a
General Assembly, which shall consist
of Senate and House of Representa-
tives.
CAN of that is true. What the rail
roads seek is to let the people know the
effect of the full crew laws. Then as
citizens the people can inform their
elected representatives what they want
done. The trainmen S organization
evidently fears the consensus of in.
formed public opinion. The statement
said:
- For these reasons if is not fair
either to the General Assembly or the
railroad trainmen that this immense
lobby is addressing itself to the public
rather than to the Legislature.
''As to that, the railroads are per-
fectly willing to let the people-meu
and women of the State-letermine Z"