The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-30
SANTA FE RIGHT
BACK AT UNIONS
IN RAIL DEMAND
General Manager KOuns Would
Open Up All Contract.
Answers Request Made by
BrOtherhOOds Today.
FIRST 8-HOUR SHOT FIRED
Formal Statement Filed i'm To-
peka as Headquarters.
General Action in All Parts of
the United States.
FIRST 0-HOUR SHOT FIRED
General Action in All Parts of
the United States.

The most important situation nat
has ever faced railroads in this coun-
try was formally opened in Topeka
this morning when C. W. Kouns, gem
eral manager of the eastern lines of
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe rail-
way received from officials of the
brotherhood of engineme, firemen and
trainmen their first formal demand
for the establishment of an eight hour
basic day in all branches of freight
service. Within less than an hour Mr.
kouns issued counter demand on be-
| half of the Santa Fe which opens up
a new situation.
| In his answer Mr.. Kouns demands
that when an arbitration board meets
! to consider the demands of the men
every phase of the contract under
which the -trainmen and enginemen
are working be Investigated. The
magnitude of such an undertaking will
1 totally eclipse any situation that has
/ ever before appeared in the history of
American railways, officials declare
/ today.
! The first gun in the fight was fired
! this morning when Kouns received
from officials representing brother
hoods on the eastern and western lines
of the road copies of their demands
The demands of the men were ac-
/ companied by a letter asking that Mr..
( Kouns allow the association of gener-
! al mana gers to represent him in nego-
tiations between the men and the
| roads.
! In his answer Mr. Kouns declared
that this feature would be considered
| by the road at a later date.
/ At the same time representatives of
brotherhoods on every road in the
/ country and a number of Canadian
roads mailed similar statements.
/ In the demands the men are seek
| ing only for an eight hour day on
runs of 100 miles or less. Between
terminals of 125 miles or more over
time pay would not commence until
men had been on duty ten hours.
IS Roads Under 1t Now.
] Eighteen roads are now operating
| under such an agreement represent
atives of the brotherhoods point out
in a statement issued this morning.
! Statements by railway officials place
the average length of time required to
| make a run of 100 miles or less at less
! than seven hours. The vast majority
| of employees consequently will not be
/ effected by the changes asked for by
the brotherhoods, it is pointed out. An
! eight-hOur basic day, however, would
/ offer relief to the employees who are
now compelled to work from ten to
sixteen hours a day. Principally for
! the benefit of these men the changes
are being demanded, according to the
| statement.
| KOunS's Statement.
General Manager Kouns's answer to
the demand follows, in full:
| Your communication of Doth giving
! notice of your desire to revise present
| wage schedules and agreements, ac-
cording to certain proposals made a
part of that notice, has this day been
received
The present standards of rates and
| working conditions have been very
! largely fixed by mediation and arbi-
| tration, and this company feels that
they are adequafe is ana epea oera ea no TO
desire to change either the existing
rates of pay or the working rules,
nor to reduce the earning possibilities
of the employees under their existing
rules, but inasmuch as your proposals
| contemplate fundamental changes in
operating methods and practices on
which the schedules have been built up,
this company hereby gives notice in
conformity with the schedules now in
effect that in connection with and
! a part of the consideration and dis
be open for consideration and disposi-
ton those provisions in the schedules
or practices thereqnder The e7aeta goyerining
| affected by your proposals or those in
conflict with the following principles
as they apply to such classes:
| (a) No double compensation for the
same time service
purposes of compensation to be ap
piled to all members of train and
engine crew.
classes of service performed in the
same day or trip to be paid proper.
! tionate rates according 10 the class OF
service with not less than minimum
day for the combined service.
As to entering into collective
| movement this feature of the PROPOSE
tion will be taken under consideration
and advice given later. Very respect
fully, Do,,
santa F'e's Side.
mot a word is found in the demand
! that would require a man to work as
much as eight hours for a days pay
, said General Manager Kouns to a
, reporter for the State Journal. 1T is
specifically provided in the demand
less shall constitute day. Why the
use of the words or less if the men
really want an eight-hour day? II
the men cannot get in a days work
in less than eight hours, and thus
make a saving. the extra pay for time
and a half is sufficiently tempting to
, warrant some effort in that direction
IF granted. the increases on the
Santa Fe would wipe out a large per
cent of the company's annual net
earnings, thus impairing its ability to
keep the property up to standard, pre-
venting expansion and curtailing ma
terialIv the work of aiding in the de-
velopment of the natural resources OF
the territory served. Santa Fe in
creases would be S2,70O,000 In
creases for all The railroads of the
: CONTINUED from Page Two.l
Weather Forecast for Kansas.
! Partly cloudy, possibly unsettled