The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1916-09-14
RAILWAY UNIONS
TO STOP WORK
Secret Orders Tell Members
and Sympathlzers How to
Conduct Themselves In
Event of National Crisis.

y" HE effects of general tteuP or
the railroads of the country are
obvious. But how is such sit
uation possible? 1t seems that
the unions and the employers have
been expecting the crisis for a good
many years and have prepared for 1t.
Especially are the unions ready for the
emergency, They have perfected their
various organizations to a fine point
and claim to be In a position to call
out every member on short notice.
Their system is so perfectly organized
that secret orders have been issued to
the various chiefs, and instructions as
to how to conduct themselves and their
sympathiZers have been spread from
one end OF the country to the other
Just how well the railway presidents
find themselves Is a matter largely OF
conjecture. Ii has often been stated
that there are strike breakers to take
the places OF the men who quit their
positions and that traffic will continue
or course 1t cannot be expected that
In the event of general strike all
trains will continue to run as they
usually do, but the railway heads claim
that they can operate enough trains to
carry the mails and other necessaries.
Five Tentative Measures.
The presidents program includes the
following measures:
A bill establishing a legal eight hour day
foo ah
commerce
bin providing for the adoption OF the
Canadian plan Of Cancellation. but having
no compulsory arbitration feature. This
measure Is 20 provide that strike shan
not be enforced for certain period. dur
ing which the Interstate commerce com
mission may investigate and recommend
a plan OF settlement
bill increasing tho interstate com
merce commission from seven to nine
members
bill empowering the government to
take over the running OF the railroads In
the event OF a strike
resolution instructing the Interstate
commerce commission TO consider wages
as a basis for fixing freight rates.
The president gave both sides TO I'M
derstand that If this program could be
carried out tho strike order issued for
Sept. 4 by the brotherhoOds could be
postponed for thirty days.
Secret Strike Order.
Here Is n copy OF the secret strife
order handed IN sealed envelopes to
the $40 brotherhood chairmen. In ad-
ds.ion to this order secret instruct ions
were issued to the members for their
guidance In the event OF a strike. The
strike order reads
brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers
Brotherhood Of Locomotive riremen IND
Enginemep
Order OF Railway Conductors
Brotherhood OF Railway Trainmen
Aug. IA. 19lt
To All Local Chairmen Members and
Others Employed In Glasses OF Servi e
Represented by the Il. OF l.. r.. n Of
L. Il. and f.. o. r. G. and II. r. T.
Sirs and Brothers Is to advise thGt
vote OF the employees I'm train and en-
gino service on the eight hour day and
time and one-half for overtime proposition
was overwhelmingly in favor of a strike.
Notwithstanding this. your representa-
tives have been unable 10 effect salts
factory settlement, and strike under the
laws OF the respective organizations be-
comes effective Sept 4. 1915, at ! a. III
Impart this Information SO that those
interested win understand that they are to
promptly obey. Fraternally yours.