Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-05
DECLARES ALTOONA IS
CONTROLLED BY P. R. R.
[other Church on Page Al

working time for that class of work
must be still further reduced. In Ger
many such men work only six hours a
day"
And eventually you hope to reduce
them to five hours or four hours?'
Mr. Ashton suggested.
We shall continue our efforts until
conditions are obtained which will en-
able these men to maintain their
health and remain at work"
Perham testified that it takes a vote
of two-t thirds of a general committee
representing the telegraphers' union
with the approval of the president to
order a strike.
The president can veto a strike and
have done 1t on several occasions,
said he. Every time a labor leader
puts his X on strike he puts HIM
self in jeopardy. If he makes mis-
takes. he will be the one to be sacri-
feed. That is why labor leaders seek
peace before strike. 1t is difficult to
have industrial peace with the Penn
sylvania Railroad because 1t Will not
recognize the organizations"
Mediation. Perham thought, was the
most satisfactory means of settling
labor disputes, and the public, he
thought, was coming to hold such a
view. lie absolutely opposed compul-
sorry arbitration, however.
Inc lnluk we pIlNC 1hOsl llShlgi
said he, lis the right to strike, even
though we may not exercise it. Free
dom is our goal"
In response to questions by Com
missioner O'Connell relating to con-
ditions in Altoona, Pa, where the
Pennsylvania has a large shop, Mr..
Perham declared that the railroad
who incurred displeasure of railroad
officials could not find work there.
ITO live in Altoona you must live
as the Pennsylvania wishes you to.
That is the case"
You must absolutely bow to the
Pennsylvania IL you want to stay in
Altoona?"
Yes, it 8 case of My company,
Perham added that the Pennsylva-
MIA dominated the courts and news
papers" of Altoona and that public
assemblage and public speeches have
many times been prevented by the
company"
w. w, Atterbury, vice-president of
the Pennsylvania, in charge of op-
Grafton, presented long statement of
the company's labor policy and an
swers to Perham's charges of discrimi-
nation against organization labor and
intimidation of men,
THE Pennsylvania company is and
has always been unalterably opposed
to the closed shop and sympathetic
strike policy" the statement declared.
This principle is inimical to the best
interests of the public, the company
and it's employees"
Answering the charge that the Penn
syIVania maintains the "best spy sys-
tenn in the world" to harass unions,
he declared that the force of confiden-
tial Investigators was in no way con-
nected with the railroads police de-
partment' and was employed to as
certain and report to the officials the
conduct and sentiment of employees
and the movements, actions and plans
of labor leaders and organizers"
1t was contended that It was neces-
sary to employ trained men to conduct
Investigations, as the company had re-
sponsibility of maintaining adequate
train service and was subject to fines
by the government for delays to the
public and was subject to fines by the
government for delay to the mails. On
the activity of the confidential --.-
ployes the statement declared.
CONFIDENTIAL investigators are also
employed to identify themselves as en-
ployes I'm various departments and to
secure correct information as to any
efforts of the labor organizers among
employees which tend to destroy the
harmony and friendly feeling which
for many years have generally existed
between this company and its en-
pioyes Many labor organizers make