Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-05

strike whenever conditions became in
tolerable?" asked Commissioner Len
non.
II do remember 1t and frequently
have had 1t in mind" answered Mr..
Perham.
| Mr.. Weinstock asked Mr.. Perham
| whether the telegraphers' union would
| look with favor upon a recommends
| ton by the industrial relations COM
mission to Congress for the enactment
! of a federal employers liability act. He
| replied that he believed his organiZa-
| ton would favor such a recommends
| ton. But he said that the labor lead
| ers We're going slow in regard to this
| matter until they could judge what
| was best.
Mrs j. Borden Hartman asked Mr..
I Perham just what he had meant when
| he said that a general countrywide
| strike could not occur.
| Labor leaders have had their fin
gers burned" replied Mr.. Perham. Ma
| tion-wide strikes and sympathetic
! labor leaders today are not in favor or
| them.
| Mr.. Lincoln on "Tips."
| Robert 7. Lincoln. son of Abraham
! Lincoln and chairman of the board OF
| directors of the Pullman Car Company.
| was the stand yesterday to answer
| questions regarding the working con-
ditions of the porters and conductors
! on the Pullman cars. He frankly ad-
| mitted that he believed the wages paid
| the conductors should be increased, and
| just as frankly admitted that the tip
! ping system by which the porters aug
| mented their wages was very annoy
/ ing" to him. He said, however. that
| if the porters' wages were increased
| he thought they would continue to re-
| cptVa tins inst the from the tTav
+, cling public. He admitted that il tip
ping were prohibited the company
| would have to increase the wages of
! the porters very materially.
Mr. Lincoln was president of the
Pullman Car Company from 1897 to
| 1911. He testified that the companys
capital stock was $120.000.000 and s
per cent interest was paid annually on
| all the stock since 1900. In 1898 the
| capital stock was $36.000,o00 and
| stock dividend of sls,000,000 was is-
sued. In 1899 the Wagner Company
was bought aia at ;2o eee 900 od in 1905
| surplus was issued. and in 1910 anoth
er of s20.o0o.0O0. bringing the total
capital stock at the present time to
| $120.000,000.
Total cash dividends of the company,
he said had amounted to $159,116.775.
The total assets last year were 3133.-
| 317.261.
Pay of Conductors.
In 1902. he said. the pay of Pullman
conductors was raised to $40 a month
for the first six months. Salaries OF
conductors on special trains. he said,
were 500 a month. The average. he
thought, should be increased.
j do you think the salary OF $3.50
now paid negro porters as minimum
is enough to maintain his family in
comfort and decency?" asked Chair
man Walsh.
Absolutely not" Mr.. Lincoln re-
piled That question has annoyed me
much, indeed"
/ The public. he said. regarded serv-
ices of porters for which they gave
tips outside of the services required by
the company.
Doesn't tho Pullman company re-
quire porters to shine the passengers
shoes?" asked Chairman Walsh.
II do not think it is requirement"
said Mr.. Lincoln. II expect my shoes
to be shined and also to tip the porter"
thought a fair wage for Pullman con-
ductors.
} las that matter is now under con-
sideration by the company and will be
taken up soon, l would rather wait be-
fore answering that question until 1t
has been discussed"
Not Opposed to Organized Labor.
The Pullman company. he said was not
opposed to organized labor, provided it
permitted the company to engage men
t outside the union The way for men to
4 negotiate with employers about wages or
, working conditions, in his opinion, was To
: appoint committees to interview officials.
He knew of no instances Of petition from
Pullman conductors for Increased WAGES
reaching the board Of directors.
Mr.. Walsh mentioned a porter on q
Pennsylvania train who il paid $3.50 q
month by the Pullman company. but earns
Sis.
would you or other officers Of the Pull
man company like to make a similar ar
arrangement with the company for your
financial dealings?' he asked,
81 frankly confess" Mr.. Lincoln re-
piled. that I do not think this arrange
ment for Pullman porters is nice at all.
1t Is old system
Asked If he thought paying porters $50
a month and posting notices in all cars
requesting that tipping be abolished would
have any effect. Mr. Lincoln said ne
thought tipping would continue.
Never Heard Of Spoilers,
What do you know about the history
of attempts made by Pullman Company
employees to organize and to improve
their conditions" Chairman Walsh
asked
II never heard anything about any
such efforts until these hearings be-
gan" Mr.. Lincoln replied
J rs your company opposed to labor
unions" Mr.. Walsh asked
Il do not think that any administra-
tive organization likes to deal with
labor unions. Mr.. Lincoln replied: but
We have never opposed the formation
of union il II did not forbid the EN-
ployment by us of persons not in the
union.
Did you ever hear that your organi-
zation employed spoilers and discharg-
ed men because of activity in trade
union affairs"
Il never heard OF any such thing"
do you think a policy Of dischargine
men for union activity and requiring
absolute LOYALTY to the company is a
proper one?" Mr.. Walsh asked
III that Is all involved in such a pol
icy. no sir" Mr.. Lincoln answered 1T
depends entirely upon the character
and the acts of the man. I fully rec
osnize the rights of employees to or