Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-03-03
TRENHOLM ON THE
Stand LAST WEEK
Chairman Of Managers Is Gr|||ed
by Brotherhood Men at
Chicago.

the men? Or Will there be roads that
will attempt to evade? Will there be
other companies that will hardly let
the stipulated period of one year pass
before they attempt to return to the
old rates, a violation of the arbitra-
tion agreement?
These questions and these doubts
played a prominent part in the hear
ing during the past week. Albert
Phillips, vice-president of the fire.
mems brotherhood, brought the sub
ject to the front at Fridays session
in questioning A. w. Trenholm, chair
man Of the conference committee of
managers. Mr.. Phillips and Mr.. Tren-
holm spared and fenced for a long
time, neither gaining any advantage.
The iremen's official intimated that
had been sidestepped in some instan-
ces and in others the roads, at the
end of the year, had gone back to the
old rat>, arousing the men to rage
and not infrequently bringing on
strike conditions.
Rather unexpectedly General Man.
ager Trenholm made some admissions
during this colloquy which seemed to
surprise members Of the arbitration
board and the brotherhoods' represen-
tatives as we'll. Reference had been
made to a little trick that some of
the railroad companies have played
when an award is stipulated that a
certain type Of engine is to carry a
certain wage, trick Of altering the
engine in such way as to take it
out, technically, from the class call
ing for the increase. Mr.. Trenholm,
in this connection, made the follow
ing statement:
"That is one of the things that STIR
red up a good deal Of noise in 1910
in the firemen's award. A great many
roads felt that the award of 1915 was
unfair and unjust, and was out of pro-
portion, and it created great deal Of
resentment. I know that some of the
men connected with the committee
said openly even when it was made
that they would bush their cylinders.
Grant Hall did it and think Mr.. EN-
erson made the statement that they
would bush their cylinders because
they did not believe the award was
fair or equitable"
Grant Hall, referred to by Mr.. Tren-
holm, represented the Canadian
Northern in that arbitration and
George Emerson, the Great Northern
Railroad. Firemen on these two roads
say that both companies reduced the
size of cylinders to escape the higher
rate of pay.
| A moment later Grand Chief w. S.
Stone, head Of the engineers brother
hood, asked Mr.. Trenholm the follow.
ing question: II understood you tC
say that the conference committee OF
managers felt the award was unfair
and that they Immediately said they
would bush their cylinders rather than
pay it,"
II was not on the committee at thai
time," answered Mr.. Trenholm, "bu
was here in Chicago and there wa:
general talk that that particular item
in the award of applying the $3.7E
rate to the same weight Of an engine
which was drawing $275, just because
the cylinder was a little larger on ont
than on the other,-that they resent
ed that quite strongly and that it wa
unfair and I heard expressions tina
they would take away the larger cylin
der; that is ALL
Mr.. Stone: The fact remains tha
they did do it?
Mr.. Trenholm: think some of the1
did-yes, sir.
Mr.. Stone: So they did not carr
, out the award in good faith?
Mr.. Trenholm: Oh, yes. I don
, think that is violation Of the aware
! if they take cylinder off and put o
a smaller one. If it was based on tn
cylinder and they might have destro!
! ed some Of the effectiveness of the
, engine. When cylinder was not tha
size and they did not pay it, they VII
, lated no award.
q Mr.. Stone: Would you call that goo
= operation?
Mr.. Trenholm: No.
Mr.. Stone: If the men had don
that, what would have been the charg
lagainst them?
- Mr.. Trenholm: They do not contr'
Z the cylinders.
u Mr.. Stone: That is the great tro
BILE. That is the reason we would 6
'' to weight on drivers.
In the present arbitration parle
; between the engineers and firemen
brotherhoods and ninety-eight Yves
l. ern railroads affecting about $500
employees the men all insist that wa
es be based on weight on driver
Heretofore, brotherhood officials sa
{, the size Of an engine cylinder h;
been the gauge; that it has been u
y satisfactory and had led to peculi;
e. acts by the railroad companies whe
It awards have been made came in f
4 a demonstration this week.
# Mr.. Trenholm attempted to remo'
the impression which he had give
the arbitrators on this occasion
remarking before the topic was pas
'. ed over he agreed with Mr.. Phillip
+. that no railroad should do anythil
j. to evade a fair award given by al
fron%inrad IN nooa o.