The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-07-15
RAILWAY UNION
LEADER F|CHT TER
President Lee Of Trainmen Fa.
nous for Fights for Brother.
hood-Plenty Of Funds.

AVVU71 AcAVy VI ! UuOos
When the four railroad brother
magnates Of the nation, if their eight
hour day demand Is refused, the
workers will have the advantage from
start to finish. They will have a.
great alliance of 100000 men and
will have the ablest labor officials in
the country to lead them in their
fight.
The heads Of the Order Of Railway
Conductors, Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Engineered Brotherhood Of Fire.
men and Enginemen and Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen are con-
<servatives, but they are able fighters.
One of the best scrappers is Presi-
dent w. G.. Lee of the Brotherhood
Of Railway Trainmen, who is up and
at any railroad magnate who tries to
flimflam the workers. Lee knows
the tricks Of the employers and in
every conference has been the one to-
rise up with a protest against any
jobbing that he suspects is in the
making.
Showdown Demanded.
When the brotherhood officers met
the National Conference committee of
Of the railroad managers last month,
the sessions were quite and tame I'M
til Lee arrived. With his energy and
pep" he: put life into the meetings
with "a demand for an immediate
showdown by the managers almost as
soon as lie was seated at the table.
Lee became president of the train
men January i, 1909, after IA years
entered railroad service in 1879: as
brakeman Tor the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe, running out of Emparia,
Kan. He afterward was employed on
the mountain division of that road at
Ration, N. NJ, and while there was
promoted to freight conductor in; the
latter part of 1880. In June, 1883,
he resigner to accept the position. Of
deputy registrar of deeds for Ford
county,, ann d Observation-Disclosures o-
sition for ab65ut: IT, tt1KrsG ana half
years. He -re=entered- railway. serv-
Ice as brakeman and sWItchman with
the Wabash, but after a.. few, months
accepted employment as~a, Brakeman
with the Missouri Pacific at kansas
City. In: 1$g1s he was a brakeman
with the Union Pacific at Kansas
City, and five months later was pro-
NOTED to conductor, which position
he held at the time of his election to
the office of first -vice-grand: master,
the duties Of Wfiehz POSITION he as
sumed August /, 1867: Te@ 49,:
Active In Brotherhhdood..
He became a member Of the Broth
erhood of Railroad Brakemen early
in 1889, and at once became promi-
nent in its affairs in his part OF the
country. He served as local and gen.
eral committeeman and legislative
representative for his lodge and was
a member of the committee that put
into effect the first working. agree
n1ent for conductors: brakemen. and
yard men on the Missouri Pacific.
Lee has had a most important part
in all of the wage adjustments since
! he has beer a. member and am officer
Of the brotherhood. ~ In 1906: the first
collective movement for train and
SoAo HIGH AOA SAAAPAOt Iii tA0 "SSI~
ern territory was 1naugurated::;1 For
the greater part OF the time this work
was under the PERSONAL direction of
Lee, who was then assistant to the
grand MASTER: IT resulted I'm in
creasing wages to the IN en- in that
section AID contributed considerably
toward a uniformity Of wages and
service conditions: : In: 19U4::Lee had
personal direction of the: first gen.
eral movement i'm the New York
| harbor district This was carried out
successfully and resulted i'm obtain
| ing an increase In wages for all the
men in that territory, and, further, it
obtained uniform rates 'j'for: yard
service. - Lee was I'm charge Of the
Pittsburg yard movement ri IN 1906,
which included all Ct the lines en-
tering that city, and resulted in bet
ter service conditions and increased
wages for all yard men in that terri
tory. Since assuming the office of
president of the brotherhood success
full wage movements have been con-
Quoted in the eastern, western and
southern territories, all OF which have
resulted in material advantage to
the men, and large measure of the
splendid condition Of the Brother
hood of Railroad Trainmen is due to
the direction and ability of President
Lee.
| The numerical and financial con-
dition of the brotherhood under the
direct supervision of Lee, can best be
explained by stating that there are
in excess Of 10000 members and
more than $2,450,000 In it's funds
than at the time he assumed the
duties Of president.