The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-28
Elliott Outlines
 Roads Position
 On Clerks Demand

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company and Chairman of the Board of Directors. issued the following statement on June 21, which gives the exact facts of the attitude of the Company towards the freight clerks
 '"The negotiations with the clerks have been conducted by General Man ager Bardo, who has the support and confidence of the company. During the negotiations the clerks appealed to the Secretary of the Depar tnent of Labor and requested the appointment of conciiators. At their request, Mesms Gf1day and Reeves were ap- pointed Federal Concihators and since then, MT. Bardo and other officers of the company have conferred freely with the conciHators. met Messrs. Gilday and Reeves on June sth and went over the subject with them and they appeared to be satisfied with the pany in trying to bring about a. sat. isfactory adjustment After that meeting a statement, approved by them, was issued on the same day, since which date an earnest effort has been made to harmonize all differ ences and I thought with success un- til this morning. Every step that the company has taken has been with the kn knowledge of the Federal Conciha- tors, Messrs. Gilday and Reeves
 
 service are involved The company is responsible for carrying the b1si- ness of the public and to do that it must have some rules of procedure and discipline and some plan of pro- m oting men to positions of responsi-- bihty. It must reserve to itself the right to appoint competent men to fill positi ons of authority. Otherwise it cannot do it's duty to the public. There are two questions in dispute now with the clerks
 s'st: W. H Harrington claims pay as Assistant Foreman, House B. Bos1 ton, while acting in the capacity of clerk The company contends in this case that 1t has always exercised the right to designate and classify its su- pervising officers. It was within this right in temporarily abolishing the position of Assistant Foreman in i House and assigning thereto a clerk to perform the clerical duties incident to the. operation of the house and to assign the General Foreman, whose offices were located in ethis house, the responsible duties of House Man agers Harrington was paid the rates in accordance with his position as clerk. He was never informed, either verbally or otherwise. that he was to perform the duties of Assistant House Foreman. His claim, there fore, is not Justified under the rules or practice of the company
 The second case is a claim of a clerk for assi gnment to the position l of Foreman The only obligation
 resting upon the company in this case l in so far it relates to the agree l ment between the company and its l clerks was to see that proper notice
 was posted for the information of 1 the clerks concerning the vacancy This requirement. was fulfilled The
 responsibility for the selection of l
 with the management and this impor-
 tant duty can neither be delegated nor
 assigned to others
 ''The company has observed care I fully all the rules and methods set l out in the agreement with the clerks
 dated January II, 1913. Notwith-
 standing thiss the officers expressed their willingness to submit to arbi- traton the question whether the com pany's position in these two cases is l justified.
 The company has shown every de-
 sire to bring about an adjustment up to the point of abandoning a duty l thai it owes to the public and to ali employees, namely, the duty to make and enforce reasonable rules of dis cip1ine and the duty of selecting, re- 1 taining and promoting men to do the work of the company. The work of
 any large organization cannot be car ried on successfully if this authorty
 is divided, whether 1t be a railroad, a
 store, a labor union or the govern l ment itself. The right to decide must
 be given to those responsible for re- l suits. The company has suggested 1 that all the facts be laid before any
 impartial body for full consideration. l It does this because it realizes that it lis a public service corporation and | that the public should know all the facts. If, in the face of this, the 1 clerks are ordered by their leaders l to strike, and obey that order, the company will have to fill the places I of those who leave it's service and con- Sinue to do the business of the public as well it can under the changed | conditions.
 '"The New Haven management has | always discussed with conmi ttees of it's employees any questions of wages or working conditions and 1t has
 never declined to meet and discuss with grand lodge officers proper sub I jects for discussion, and in these two particular cases it is willing to arbi-
 trate the questions to be discussed |