Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-06
Witness Tells Industrial ReIa-
tions Commission Shopmen
Were Deserted by Trainmen.
SAYS COMPANY OPPOSES
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
When Great Strength Is Shown, the
Pennsylvania Wipes Them Out"
W. H. Pierce Testifes.

| Charges that organized transporta-
/ tion employees of the Pennsylvania
| railroad deserted the shopmen of Har-
risburg and Altoona when they went
| on strike last year and that w. 6.
! Lee, president of the Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen. was traitor
were made today before the indus
! trial relations commission at the
! Shoreham Hotel by W. H. Pierce of
| the brotherhood of Federated Railroad
| Employees.
| Pierce told the commission that Lee
| had promised the shopmen the broth
| erhood would stand by them and had
urged them to strike. but that when
the crisis came his promises were not
| fulfilled
/ History of the labor troubles of the
Pennsylvania railroad was given to-
| day by S. c. Long, general manager
| OF the road. He submitted a statement
charging that Mr.. Pierce had acted. for
selfish reasons in attempting to. organ
| ize the Brotherhood of Federated Rail-
road Employees. being disgruntled be-
cause he had failed to be elected vice
president of the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen.
! Mr. Pierce. questioned by Commits
| sioner Weinstock. insisted that the
| Pennsylvania discharged. in wholesale
| lots. men who joined the shopmens s
union.
Il do not say the Pennsylvania rail-
road objects to or 10 per cent of
| their men being organized, but when
the organization shows great strength
the company sets its machine in mo-
ton to wipe them out of existence
Labor Leader on Stand.
". H. Pierce an organizer of the
brotherhood of Federated Railroad
Employees. was on the stand when the
commission met this morning. Mr..
Pierce held that the employees of the
Pennsylvania railroad could not obtain
| the best conditions of labor unless they
were permitted to organize freely
During his testimony he was asked
| by Commissioner Garretson If the
laboring man was not always fearful
of losing his job. the implication being
| that the laborer would hesitate to
organize il his employer was opposed
| to it.
When business is good is the time
to organize" said Mr.. Pierce "When
| business is bad is no time to try to
organize men. The men are afraid
for their jobs The average working
! man is too dumb to realize what he IS
being paid. It's his wife that runs the
job, anyway"
harshly W. G. Lee, president of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
Il ought to call him brother, but It
would be a disgrace said the witness
| the shopmen to organizing and striks.
saying the Brotherhood of Trainmen
would aid them.
Il opposed the strike" said Pierce.
He declared that Lee had gone ba tx
on his promises to the shopmen
Terms Him a Traitor.
Lee was guilty of high treason IL
| ever man was.' said Pierce. He
| caused suicides. loss of property and
| the breaking up of homes
Commissioner Ashton suggested that
Lee be given an opportunity to reply
| to this testimony.
s. c. Long. general manager OF the
Pennsylvania railroad, was asked by
! Chairman Walsh the general attitude
/ of the company toward labor unions
! He replied that the statement of Vice
! President Atterbury, made yesterday.
| covered the subject.
| What about Your police system
| asked Chairman Walsh
! our superintendent of police is here
and viii give you all information
! about the employment of police" was
! the reply. lie said that he could give
no detailed information concerning any
firearms the company might have on
| ha nd.
Chairman Walsh asked how he looked
upon mediation.
/ III you had all the labor troubles on
your shoulders that 4 railroad man
has you would welcome most any kind
Of mediation replied Mr.. Long "I do
hope that you gentlemen out of your
wisdom will devise something better