Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-20
Strikers Hurl Charges
at Company in Statement

The executive board of Division No.
aOs, Amalgamated Association of
street and Electric Railway Employees
the organization with which the
StrlklnS trolleymen are connected--to-
DAY authorised Hugh L. Mclaughlin,
president and chairman of the board,
10 make a statement in which the
events leading up to the strike are
reviewed
Following this review of the sit
uatlon the statement charges the COM
pany, with importing thugs as strike
preakers; with removing cross seats
10 make more strap hanging room: /:
Win lack OF ventilation and heating
tsaSlnues; with overcrowdihg. and with
IalIlig 10 provide necessary creature
comforts for the employees.
The statement is as follows:
dollars first, humanity afterward,
is the attitude of the Harrisburg Rail-
employees.
Our attention was called last even
ing to a paid advertisement in evening
newspapers, issued by the Harrisburg
railways Company. We wish to state
that the statement contained therein
is absolutely untrue.
On the morning of July 3 the de-
mands were presented to Mr.. Musser,
president of the company, and the
committee requested that he grant
them conference to take UP and dis
cuss the same, which was refused.
Failing to secure a conference, two
more attempts to secure a conference
were made that same afternoon. Both
talled. On July IA another attempt
was made to get to Mr.. Musser, who
dld, on this attempt. meet the COM
talking with the men.
AT this hail conference the men,
after being refused a conference over
the demands of the men, offered to
submit the entire matter to an arbi-
tration board. This suggestion Mr.
Musser absolutely refused, saying, I'VE
are running this road and will not sub
NIT to any stranger debating to US. -
Then the committee reported this con-
versation back to Division 709.
The fact that the entire matter was
suggested for arbitration can be sub
stantiated not only by the four men on
the committee, but by Chief Clerk
Steese, of the Department of Labor
and Industry, who made an attempt
to have the company submit the mat
ter to an arbitration board on July Is.
In the belief that they had taken
every means for securing an adjust
ment of their grievances that was pos
sible, the men authorized a statement
of the facts ana positively stated their
lIltSllNlOllS VI ldhltlS d vote on
July 10. This statement of their po-
sition and of the failure of the com
pany to agree to meet with them, as
we'll as of their intention to suspend
work. was published Saturday morn
ing, July 15. The public was fully in
formed that there would be a strike on
Sunday morning. July 16. if the COM
pany, in the meantime, did not agree
to arbitration or settle the differences
with the men.
The statement of the company in
its paid advertisement that the men
strike first, arbitrate afterward,' is
positively untrue. The four men who
made the attempts to have the COM
panv agree to arbitration are Hugh l.
Mclaughlin, Robert ]. Emminger
Thomas E. Clark. Elmer C. Hicks
Others who made attempts to have the
matter arbitrated are r. w. Rutter
William Nye, Chester Rath. All may
be seen at &c North Third street; all
are citizens and taxpayers of this
county. Mr.. Steese may be seen at the
Capitol, in the Department of Labor
and Industry. All of these men will
bear witness to the fact that every
efforts was made to avoid a strike by
the men, who resorted to this means
only when all others had failed, and
who know that both the company and
the public was fully informed of the
llldllN GllOIlS 10 dNOlu d SIIlke.
I'm his advertisement Mr.. MusseI
asks. How much consideration was
shown to the public or to the COM
pany?' We wish to ask him How much
consideration has he shown to the
public in the past? Also, How much
consideration has he shown to his EN-.
ployes?
THE present condition on the cars
which are manned by imported strike.
breakers and thugs, brought here from
other cities, show his consideration foI
the citizens of Harrisburg. The re.
moval of all cross seats in the cars
leaving double standing and strap
hanging room, is another way of show
ing his consideration for the public
Lack Of ventilating and heating facili-
ties in cars during the winter is an
other of the considerations the COM
pany has shown for the public. Past
conditions of overcrowded cars, where
people were packed in like sardines. is
another of the considerations the
company has shown the public.
I'VE question that the strike break.
ers now employed are compelled tc
furnish a 5000 bond, like the men or
For years past the employees of the
Harrisburg Railways Company have
been compelled to go into deserted
buildings and beneath public bridge:
and even on public streets to relieve
themselves while on duty. Many time.
they have halted their cars upon the
public highways to relieve the call o.
nature. Is this condition 'consid
Grafton for either the public or the
employees (Signed)
Executive Board of Division 700,
Amalgamated Association OF
Street and Electric Railways
Employees of America.
Hugh L. Mclaughlin,
president and Chairman of the
Executive Eoard"