Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-04-09

LAW AGAINST MEN
Union Workers Claim That
Certain Legal Features
Go Against Them.

CHICAGO. April Testimony in
contradiction or modification Of evi-
dence given before the United states
commission on industrial relations
yesterday by Charles II. Markham,
president Of the Illinois Central. was
given today by A. O. Wharton. pres
idcnt of the railway EMPLOYEES depart
ment of the American Federation Of
Labor, James }. Mayer, former pres
ident of the maChinists' local at Clin-
ton, Ill.,, and j. L. McCreery Of Padu-
cah, ky.
Much OF the testimony dealt with
Mr., Markhams expressed fear Of the
plan Of the men to form fcderations
of craftsmen by railroads instead Of
having the crafts belong TO strictly
craft unions.
Under the old plan the railroads
were able to play one union against
another and the expense of seeking
redress OF grievances was too great
to he borne by the weaker unions"
the railroad members of certain crafts
would be dominated by members not
employed by the railroads was un-
founded. The system federation plan
provides that the grievances of the
railroad men shall be considered only
by those men and not lay members Of
the craft not employed by the rail-
road involved. For instance strike
of machinists at an industrial plant
would not affect members Of the body
belonging TO the system federation
"If there was a strike at the Bald
win Locomotive works. would the men
ON q railroad using Baldwin engines
strike too, rather than repair such en-
gine?' asked Commissioner r.. III,
Ashton
"Thc point has never come up" Mr..
Wharton replied. but we have fed
eratious ON fifty-two railroad systems
and no refusal Of that kind has ever
been brought to our attention"
Mr. Ashton rsked the witness opin-
ton of the CaHAdian arbitration law.
Law Against Unions.
zone feature Of that law is bad for
the men, said Mr.. Wharton. 1T COM
pels arbitration, but three months de-
lay is allowed before the law becomes
operative. In the case Of a coal mine
strike the law operated to give the
mine owner three months in which he
built stockades, imported strike
breakers and made other preparations
while the men were helpless. In the
case / have in mind the union was
wrecked by the laws delay"
Mr.. Ashton brought up the subject
Of iurisdictional disputes, in which no
complaint against an employer is in
volvcd. Mr. Wharton replied that
there have been many such disputes
on the roads federated and that I'm no
single case have the officials failed
to adjust matters without the men
missing a days work,
"lf the employers really want TO do
something for industrial peace and the
public good they will foster the fed
GRAFTON plan said the witness ear
nestly.
Mr.. Maver was one Of three men
whose arrest for the alleged violation
Of an Injunction against picketing the
Illinois Central shops at Clinton was
noted in the testimony of Mr.. Mark
ham Mr.. Markham said that the men
were dismissed by Judge Humphrey
at Springfield with a warning
Judge Humphreys attitude was
quite the reverse said the witness.
The testimony OF the railroads strike
breakers was such that Judge Hum
phrey's suspicious were aroused and
he remarked that there seemed TO he
perjury somewhere. lie was so i'm
pressed with this that a fourth man
arrested with us, Harry Andrews, who
did not try 10 get bonds so our case
could be prepared and who i'm conse-
quence was sentenced TO thirty days
in Jail. was ordered released forth.
with by the Judge"
Claim Discrimination.
Mr.. McCrcery, former shopman at
Paducah, where he worked for the
Illinois Central and present vice pres
ident of the railway employees de-
partment, contradicted Mr. Markham
with reference to details preceding the
strike Of shopmen in 1917 and gave
his version Of the Introduction Of "A
form of the piece-work system at
PaduCah.
I'VE objected to the piece-wOrk sys-
TEN because it crowds out men old in
the service and makes old men out OF
young men, ne said.
Frank =. Walsh. chairman of the
commission. informed reporters that
he was investigating the Illness which
was reported as preventing Robert Y.
Lincoln, chairman of the board of di-
rectors Of the Pullman company from
coming to Chicago to testify.
Il understand that he Is well enough
to play golf and ne may be well
enough To testify. The commission
has power 10 compel his attendance
said Mr. Walsh.