The Washington times., 1916-08-10
LAW TO RESTRAIN
r. r. BROTHERHOODS
r. T. Frazier Asks Congress to
Prevent Calling of Big Strike.

Bringing u petition with the signatures
Of more than 10000 railroad employees not
included In the Big Four unions. aad de-
claring that 30 pr cent OF the rail
road employees Of the country are op-
posed to strike ut this time. Robert
I. Frazier. tr.. an employe Of the .Sash-
vile, Chattanooga and ST. Louis raii-
road, Is In Washington today seeking
legislation to prevent the four unions
from calling strike and tying up the
railroads Of the country.
Fraziers contention is that by calling
q strike the four unions. which include
brakemen. firemen engineers and conduc-
tors. vii bring to a standstill operations
on all the railroads Of the country and
throw out Of work many thousands Of
emplyes in Their departments, VIII do not
desire strike. The fur unions repre-
sent only 20 per cent Of the railroa 4
employees. says Frazier, and would by
this action to throw out Of employment
the other 80 per cent, which includes en-
ployes In the maintenance and con-
struction departments. the shops, and
tho clerical forces.
Wants Arbitration.
The petition urges Conyre.s to enact
semo definite legislation whereby the
vast majority OF the people OF the coun-
ny shall be protected from u destruc-
merce, and which shall provide that all
differences between railways and en-
ployes be settled by arbitration"
He was told at the Capital that there
ton enacted ut this session Of Congress.
He Is planning to see President Will
son tomorrow, and viii urge him to
aid in bringing about the enactment
or the desired law.
The petition which Frazier bears Is
entitled An Appeal of the Eighty Per
Cent and reads as follows:
we, the undersigned citizens of
-. and among those comprising
the more than so per cent of the EN-.
ployes Of the railways Of our State and
country. being confronted with the pos
sibllity OF an entire paralyziation Of the
railways OF the country by the proposed
general strike of the four orders of
cent of the entire number of railway
employees, and tn consequent curtaii-
ment OF income Of us. the more than so
per cent. to whom such a curtailment
would be ruinous. and fully realizing
mat under this great Government, where
the ruling doctrine Is the greatest good
10 the greatest number" we, the large
majority, more than 80 per cent of the
people TO- be directly injured by such
happen to be placed In a position where
they can use them. have q clear and
deilnite right to be protected (the gem
efal puhlic and oil other industries Sc
riously endangered also having that
right. do earnestly petition you, our
senators and Representatives individ-
ually and as the Congress of the nation.
and pray that some definite legislative
action be taken whereby the vast ma
lority or the people OF tho country shall
be protected from a destructive inter.
ruptlon of interstate commerce due to
wholly selfish action of a small group
OF men. and that all differences which
may arise between railway aNd en-
tration. In this way you would recog-
nize the fundamental principal of the
republic that no small group of men
ought to be permitted directly or indi-
rcctly TO conspirc to an end calculated
to benefit them only and directly or In.
directly work wrong and loss upon the
great majority" ~''0