Evening journal., 1916-07-03
10000 PENASY MEN
PLEDGE Service
Will Do Special Duty in
East If Strike Ties Up
Company'S Lines
MANY PENSIONERS
ANSWER THE CALL

The Pennsylvania railroad viii
have at least $4,000 men-purhaps as
many as COCOON the lines east OF
Pittsburgh, pledged and ready for
special duty to prevent, If possible, a
complete interruption of the service
no the event OF a strike. This is in
dicated by the immense volume OF
responses that have been pouring IN
ct all points on the railroad, In reply
to General Manager S. G. Longs call
for volunteers.
The freedom with which volunteers
have come forward does not mean
that a strike of the $4,000 engine
men, conductors. fremen and train-
men could fail TO be a serious mat
ter. or that the railroad could be kept
in operation except with great diff
Guilty. The volunteers would have to
be withdrawn from other branches of
the service, and in some cases would
require additional training for their
new duties. II does, however, prove
that this railroad can count upon the
complete loyalty and devotion OF a
very large number of employees In
any emergency.
nOIIH OA IIIN ANAAARNRA -
lremen and trainmen, even, have as
sured their employing officers that
they would remain loyal.
In other branches OF the service, m
cludinq the clerical and Office forces, re-
sponse has been very general An over
whelming majority Of the shopmen have
placed their services at the disposal OF
the company. At all the large shops
such a. those In and about Camden
Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore,
Harrisburg. Altoona, Renoya and Pit
cairn. practically every man has offered
10 do everything in his power 70 guard
against a tie-up of the railroad.
Many pensioned employees have eager
lv written that they are still ft for &C
tive work and ready TO serve on call.
Other volunteers include men who re
signed 10 take up different work, hut
ttin feel the ties of the old loyalty. A
4vpical letter from one of these men
whose father before him worked 40
wears for the railroad, offered the ser
vices Of the writer and Of 25 other men
including 10 ex-enginemen and ex-fre
men. 'in gratitude for the kiudness ex
tended by the railroad TO myself and my
old father"
Stockholders have offered 20 protect
the interests Of the property In whicl
they are part owners One of them vol
unteered his services free for three
months, and promised TO recruit other
for similar service
81 am now nearly 20 years old
clear-hcadcd. frm on my feet and al
your service. said a letter from on'
a OF the Soldiers National Homes TIT
~nan who wrote e was an excursion
seent, many years ago, for seashor
travel
II would take almost unlimited
chances 10 remain loyal wrote al
old employc. now we'll up In the ser
vice. Who offered to do any work re-
Qured
A fireman who declared he would
not 60 out said "The officers of my
division have been very good to me.
II is my duty TO do likewise.
shall do an in my power TO prevent
this trouble"
A yardmaster with 81 years Of
service said that not one in ten Of
his 100 men would strike, II ordered
to "You would have TO get a gatling
gun 10 drive them away"
One effect Of the call for volunteers
has been TO increase very greatly the
number OF new applications for posi-
tions IN the service.