Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-08-31
BY Associated Press

road officials and representatives of
the trainmen's brotherhoods appeared
in force to-day at the Senate Inter
state Commerce Committees hearings
on President Wilson's legislative pro-
gram to prevent the threatened rail-
road strike.
Elisha Lee, chairman of the man
ayers committee, headed the delega-
ton of railroad officials which in
cluded President Underwood, of the
Erie; President Willard, of the Bal
timore and Ohio; Samuel Rea, presi-
dent of the Pennsylvania Fairfax
Harrison, president of the Southern,
and R. S. Lovett, chairman of the
board of the Union Pacific.
Representing the men were A. B.
Garretson, w. G. Lee, w. S. Stone and
w. S. Carter, the four brotherhood
heads. Officials of the American Fed
Gompers, Assistant Attorney General
Todd and E. E. Clark, of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission, also
were present.
At the outset of the hearing Senator
Newlands, chairman of the committee,
announced its purpose and said none
of the proposed legislation included
compulsory arbitration.
1T simply provides" he said, 'fn
case of the failure of voluntary media
ton and arbitration, for a government
inquiry and the stay of the action of
all the parties to the controversy until
investigation and report should be
made, leaving them free thereafter to
act as they might be advised"
Senator Newlands spoke of the short
time remaining for Congress to act
and said:
This present dispute, if carried to
its extremes, will involve the United
States in a civil war. The question is
whether we cannot find some means
of bringing about a settlement of this
dispute between employers and en-
ployes without resort to force.
BrotherhoodS First
The brotherhood representatives
were heard first. At the request of
Mr.. Garretson, it was agreed that the
the committee two hours in opening
and an hour in closing. Between these
two periods, representatives of the
employers and shippers have six
hours. He announced that beside the
heads of the four brotherhoods, Sam
uel Gompers, president of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, also would
speak.
Mr.. Garretson then began with a
general review of the circumstances
which led up to the present conditions.
1t was the belief of labor organiza-
tions, he said, that differences between
employers and employees should not
tween themselves.
THE success of any labor organiza-
tion lies, to an extent, in it's mill
fancy" he said. I'VE are in a grip
of a power greater than we and it is
unfortunate that this situation has
arisen but l believe If a settlement can
be effected by Congress, even though
tn Sl
ments, we are willing to waive the
old-age tradition against it. Such a
settlement in this controversy will be
desirable in the circumstances.
'As an ethical proposition" he said,
there is no more reason why a man
should be worked more than eight
hours than there is that he should be
worked twenty-four. In the applica-
tion of principle a different situation
arises.
Railroaders Wanderers
To-day" he said, thousands of
men throughout this country are
working from twelve to sixteen hours
of which there is no complete record"
These conditions, Garretson de-
clared were responsible for the united
appearance of the brotherhoods in
sistently demanding the human right
to enjoy some of the things that other
men enjoy. The railroad men, he said,
diS WdIuSiSIS On Iue lace OIL the
earth.
I'VE believe" said Garretson, that
questions affecting society take pre-
cedence over economics. We believe
that the human elements should be
considered regardless of it's effect on
dividends. The obligation on the
part of the railroad employer is as
great to keep the human element. in
good condition as the wooden and iron
property of the road. Humanity is
just as much part of the system as
the engine or the lathe"
Mr.. Garretson argued that the eff
feet of an increased wage or dividends
should not be considered when it was
obvious that employees were not being
paid a proper wage.
"A bankrupt road cannot buy its
coal any cheaper than one that is pay
ing S3 per cent, then why should any
road buy its labor for less than it is
worth because a proper wage would
decrease its profits?"
Attacking the railways plea for
arbitration as insincere, Mr.. Garretson
insisted that it was not offered to men
who were so poorly organized that
they coudl not enforce demands.
Can't Postpone Order
It say on behalf of these railroad
men," Garretson declared emphatic
ally, that there is evidence to-day of
a deadly danger underlying the social
crust and that it is liable to be brought
to the surface unless means are found