South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-05-11

sent 70 Mr.. Mahon requesting him
to send an organizer at once 10 form
them into a union. Mr.. Shine hav-
ing been dispatched here by Mr..
Mahon, in our behalf. immediately
met with the signers 10 these letters
and gpany others. and talked with
them and advised also very strongly
against organization because what
We told him the position OF the
company was and has been toward
organization. Mr.. Hardy states fur
ther in his reply that a threat" ac-
cOmpanied the demands formulated
by the men, which is false and which
can be also proven by us and the
men also, having in our possession
copies Of the original letter mailed
to Mr.. Hardy with the demands. Mr..
Hardy further states that the gen
eral manager asked the men for
time 10 confer with the officers OF
the company. etc which We can
show also 10 be false, and in addi-
ton TO that we can show that he
did not make any request OF the men
to wait and confer with the officers
in writing. which was several DAYS
after the men organized. and then
only i'm reply TO the demands made
upon the company by the men We
can show that Mr.. Hardy asked for
an invitation TO our first open meet
ing, which was held at 1880 a. m.
tthe date will be looked up later,
and his request was granted. and
when he appeared told the men he
had nothing to say 10 them, but
would stand on the contract that the
men had signed. and left the hall.
Mr.. Hardy further states i'm his re-
ply that All the trainmen on the
interurban lines OF the Northern In
diana, Southern Michigan compa-
MES. etc" and about p per cent of
those in South Bend complied with
their contract and refused TO join in
the strike" We can show that MT.
Hardy has here tried to mislead you
into believing that the men operat-
ing on these lines were asked TO
5Oin the union just formed. which is
untrue. and can be easily supported
by facts in our possession. and in
addition TO that we can show con-
how the men operating on
these lines happened TO get an in
crease Of pay. The % per cent Mr..
Hard refers 10 is also untrue, as only
eight men refused to join the or
ganiZatiOn prior 10 the strike out of
a total of IS, and of which. up 70
the present time. only one man has
returned TO the company. We agree
about the notice TO the men TO re-
turn TO work within a specified time,
as published in the daily newspa-
pers as an advertisement by the
and which has been ig-
nored by the men and which, TO our
mind, constitutes a real threat, as
by the company Mr.
Hardy further states Every car on
all divisions and lines Of the com
pany's system. including those in
South Bend, is now being operated
on regular schedule by competent
and experienced street railway men.
etc"
Call Statements False
Now. dear Governor, that state
rest that we have referred 10. an in
tended. deliberate. and premediated
falsehOod on the part Of Mr.. Hardy.
and because of the high Office that
you hold. serving as YOU are in duty
bound 10 do, the whole people OF the
state of Indiana, you should not let
IL pass. in our opinion, without sat
isfying yourself as 20 the truthful
ness thereof. Since the beginning OF
the strike, on April %. and continu-
ing up 10 the present time. no less
than 20 strikebreakers (whOm the
would like TO have you be
lieVe are an honorable .loD have
been arrested for various violations
of the law. some of whom have al
ready been convicted and the rest
waiting for trial In a raid conduct
ed by the police of the city OF South
Bend. i'm the building of the com
pany. and up over Mr.. Hardys pri-
vate office, ! men were arrested for
shooting dice or being present
where saming was going or. and
either have been convicted in the
courts OF the city Of South Bend, or
are awaiting trial.
Cars have been abandoned in the
street. smoking has been INDUCED
ia on the front and rear end of these
Cars. by these strikebreakeTs. and
the public being satisfied that their
lives would be in jeopardy il they
entrusted them 10 this class of men.
have refused 10 ride the cars and
have taken TO automobiles. with Ii
Censes as public conveyances. and
others are still walking at the pres
ent time. Not a street car yester-
day, with the exception OF one. was
present at Springbrook park to
carry the people home from the
baseball game. the season of which
opened yesterday, and "A large crowd
attending only four passengers got
aboard the car, which 10 our mind is
concrete evidence. dear Governor.
that YOU cannot afford 10 overlook
as part of your duty 10 the public
of this city. and 10 the men also.
We ask YOU as patriotic American
citizens. as members OF a true trade
union which has been in existence
FOR more than - years with mem
bership OF over 90 G10 street railway
employees. and which has done more
for the street car men o. the Unit
ed states and Canada thsU any other
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