Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-02
PUBLIC is WITH
LOYAL EMPL OYEES

PUBLIC is WITH
LOYAL EMPLOYEES
Continued from i'irs, page.)
lie interest. to take counsel with
such Of your citizens whose in
nuencc In mo!dinE public scnti-
ment is recognized. and cndeaver to
secure. officially or as Individuals an
expression Of opinion which may serve
10 help the situation.
IF YOU disagree with and diSap-
prove of, the action of the railroad
arrangements i'm Steadfastly insisting
on arbitration as the only proper
means Of settling this and all similar
disputes, we should know it. If Won
feel that your influence and support
should be given TO that body of LOYAL
employees who wish to remain at work
ana fulfill their duty and obligation to
the public, they will surely appreciate
such an expression, which / shall be
pleased To convey to them
PRESIDENT or CHAMBER
MAKES ENCOURAGING REPLY
President Wortham. in his reply to
this letter. said:
AS ! see the situation here in Rich
mond, can but feel that those of your
employees who remain loyal to your
company in event Of the strike will
not only have the support. but the
thanks, of our citizens"
President Fairfax Harrison Of the
Southern Railway, made direct APP
peal yesterday to tho employees of that
road TO remain loyal to the company.
ami not To leave their positions Dur
ing the negotiations leading up TO
strike action, he said, he had never
been able to erase from his mind
photographs Of some of his esteemed
personal friends who arc a part Of the
movement.
Il have felt that while, Of course.
and properly. they always want to het-
ter their conditions. there has been no
real necessity for this movement ut
this time" Mr.. Harrison said. Our
men arc well paid, and have been for
Years. They are not discontinued men.
and have not been for years.
II have had tho honor of being re-
'"ivcd in the comfortable homes of
some of them. remember the gracious
women who welcomed mo and the inn
preston Of the rewards Of family thrift
ana l"ng-"ontinued content which those
households left with me. have re-
nIembered too. the strong handclasps
Of hundreds of these men who pledged
me new assurances of their already
proved loyalty at the recent distrihu-
ton of our ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS service
medals
SAYS DEMANDS IMPOSE
UNDUE DEMANDS on PUBLIC
Since the responsibility of leader
snip OF the Southern Railway has been
on my shoulders, | have earnestly tried
TO build and To cement the organization
ny respect, iair treatment and apprec-
alton of our men. ] have congra tulatcd
myself Oh what success We huN,. had
III serving the South as a result of that
policy. am prepared to continue it,
hut ] am not prepared to yield my
Judgment Of what is fair. fortified as il
Is by the advice of many other cx-
pcricnced and just men. to the demands
which must impose undue and unneccs-
"ary cost upon the public, which con-
tributes our wage fund. and an undue
prefcrment OF one class of employees
over all others
relying, then. on public opinion for
the verdict. ! face the break with dis
trcSs hut with confidence. know
The power of their fratcrnal ties upon
men who may personally differ with
ihc majority. hut in this supreme test
! appeal nevertheless to all our men
finally To consider their futures before
they act. Men who are pillars Of our
southern communities know what suf-
fcrinS they are likely to bring on
others less fortunate than themselves
IT they suspend transportation at this
INNS" but that IS responsibility they
VIII settle with their consciences
!" their past services. to their future
outlook If strike comes whatever
may he its event The men who leave
INC service can never again have quite
The same relations with the manage
ncnt as now exists. whereas, on the
ether hand. the debt that will be due
those who are loyal in the crisis can
never be- fully repaid"
TWELVE SOUTHERN PRESIDENTS
ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT
Twcve presidents of Southern rail-
roads yesterday issued Il statement to
the people of the South reviewing the
negotiations leading TO the impending
break. With the rejection of their
proposals, regarded by them as in the
last degree conriliating and fair. thov
declare that under these circum-
stances the responsibility for the
threatened national disaster must rest
upon those who have thus suddenly
precipitated this crisis
Inc statement is signed l." Prcsi-
dents l.. y. Johnson. w l. Mapother.
George w. stevens w. j IIarahan.
John Howe Peyton. J. II. Henley. VIII
nam II: White. Raymond Duruy. w.
y. Winhurn. r.. Z. Lamb, c. \. Wick
crsham aud Fairfax Harrison.
OFFICIALS of the Richmond, Frcdcr-
'cksbarG and Potomac Railroad said
yesterday mat they were prepared To
handle practically every local train.
hut mat connection service would
probably he curtailcd. While not so
Wei situated. Chesapeake and Ohio
officials said that they were well pre-
pared TO handle the situation
Freight ana passenger traffic contin-
ued heavy yesterday. in some instances
hethG greater than on Thursday when
mere was some congestion at tn,
freight houses from the outgoing shin
monts. ~ the close Of business las,
night scmbarGoes issued by all the