National news. (Chicago, Ill.) 1915-19??, 1916-03-22

Article 20. II 10 Understood that
the Brotherhood Of Railroad Trainmen
represented in this agreement will be
Assured not less than seventy-fve
t75) PER cent Of the yardmen en-
ployed in each yard; this agreement
not TO be retroactive and will not dis
place men 0ready in the service.
Article tal. When differences a.
TO the schedule and practice under it
arise, II is deemed best for the men
and the local officers to confer individ-
ually, and in = fair spirit dispose Of
the matters. II, however. employees
desire to present their views to any
officers Of the company by means Of
the authorized committee Of the B. Of
X. T.. service on such committee will
not prejudice the standing Of any en-
ploye.
tb). The rules and rates provided
for in this schedule shall become effec-
tive January LIST, 1916. and remain in
effect for . period Of one (D year,
continuing from that time until rea-
sonable notice shall have been given
by either party to change or termi-
nate the same or any part thereof.
The b. K. T. has held the yard
agreement with the Wabash many
years. Il fought the yardmen's bat
ties on this line. when no other organ
iistion existed there which could
have made even . pretense Of repre-
senting them. Every effort on the
part Of the b. X. T. to better condi-
tions Of the Wabash yardmen. instead
Of having the approval. has been met
with protest by the s. U. members
and the company has always been as
sured Of the support Of the s. U. in
any controversy arising out Of the b.
r. T. efforts to raise the standards Of
the Wabash men.
The s. u. wanted the agreement.
They would have taken il without any
concessions or conditions. but ~ the
b. r. 7. had II from the reunionizin9
Of the road following the 1894 demor-
alization, il did not propose to give il
up to its rival. particularly - long -
the great majority Of the yardmen on
the system elected to have the B. R.
T. represent them. This 10 not our
first experience in this line. The s.
U. made similar attempts to secure
agreements on the Denver Z Rio
Grande, on various lines At Pitts
burgh. Pa. and on the Kansas City
Southern in 1906, and in each Of these
instances they were unsuccessful. The
only instance where they have sue
eeeded in securing an agreement from
the B. X. T. was on the Fort Worth
Belt Railway. where. with the con-
nivance Of the officials Of that line,
the S. L.. under the direct supervision
Of its officers. stepped into the jobs
Of b. X. T. men who had gone on a
strike to secure standard rules and
rates of pay; and to say THAT THE
SWITCHMEN'S UNION STAGED
ONE OF THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS
AND DISGRACEFUL JOBS OF
SCABBlNG is indeed putting it mild
ly.
IL is claimed BY the s. L. that the
Wabash agreement prevents their
members from securing redress Of
their grievances because reference is
made to the b. Il. T. committees $
right to represent the yardmen. There
is not a word of truth in this claim.
The agreement provides for the righ,
of individuals 10 be heard. and then
gives authority for the Il. X. T. com
mittee to represent their members in
an agreement made by the general
committee Of the organization. Tha,
particular section Of the agreement