Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-18
STRIKING A. C.L. CLERKS
ESTABLISH HEADQUARTERS
Forty-Three Men Who Walk Out
SSs Operate Under Orders of
SO Grand President.
CLAIM RIGHT TO ORGANIZE
Defend Their Action on Ground They
Arc Entitled to Privileges Enjoyed
4 by Other Classes of Railway
~.,Employees.

Tho clerks of the Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad who walked out on
Tuesday morning are established in
Room 13S in Murphy's Hotel Annex.
and. are now operating under orders
of ]. ]. Forester, grand president OF
tie Brotherhood of Railroad Clerks,
whose headquarters are in Cincinnati,
and who is personally handling the af-
fairs Of the local striking chapter.
In view of the fact that varying
statements have appeared in the local
papers regarding the number OF en-
ployees who walked out. and in an
attempt to have the public know the
real facts, dozen or more of the
members Of the brotherhood affirmed
the statements of y. W. Binns the
president of the local organization. TO
the effect that almost SO per cent or
the clerks had walked out. and that
they had done so in defense OF their
right to organize.
Mr. Binns remarked that the clerks
felt that they had a right to organize;
that they did organize. and had been
for about a month. being local chap
ter OF the Brotherhood Of Railroad
Clerks. He also stated that this was
the second or third attempt OF the
clerks in tho Atlantic Coast Line offices
to. organize But when General Super
intendent w II. Newell found out
about the existence OF the local or
eanization, he put II up to the clerks
whether they would resign from the
chapter or remain in their capacity
asvclerks
DISMISSAL OF DLANKENsHIF
.-4 Is CAUSE OF STRIKE
superintendent Newell requested w.
H Blankenship, one of the most efh-
Giant clerks In the Offices. who had
heen with the company for five years,
and was instrumental in the "obJec-
tionable" organization to get the men
together and give him reply as 10
what the boys were going 10 no.
whether they were going TO remain III
the organization Al biankehsnip
instigation a meeting of the orother-
hood was called at which II was de-
cided 70 remain in the organization
In ten minutes after the reply was
handed in, Blankenship was dismissed
onSthe grounds that his services we're
unsatisfactory"
,cst of this dismissal" say the strikers.
that they walked out. 1t appearing 10
them that it was unjust.
ON Tuesday morning thirty-tve men
walked out. Since then eight others
have followed suit. making total Oh
forty-three men who are out. BESIDES
the agent, chief clerk and his stenosra-
nher there are forty-one names on
the clerks pay roll. Thirty-two or
these walked out. and nine stayed with
the railroad. In addition to these
thirty-two. all the six yard clerks In
the richmond office and the five In the
south Richmond yard went out. total
ing forty three who struck.
Ask SAME PRIVILEGES
rfee- AS OTHER EMPLOYERS
rho men insist that they have not
asked the railroad for one single soli-
tary thing" The discharge OF Blank
enship was a challenge and dare to
them 10 join the union, they say; yet
TINT is a privilege the engineers and
other branches Of railroad employees
exercise, and privilege the clerks are
striking for, they assert.
Further. the men deny that the
strike has not been felt by the COM
pany. Not even n call-boy was left
in the Richmond yard. And many or
the men who walked out in defense OF
the right to join the union were mid
dle-aged married men. old in service
and not green youngsters. Yet the
men emphatically deny that the strike
was any unpatriotic attempt to hinder
the work of either the government or
the railroad. It is merely the clerical
forces feeling. that the railroad should
grant It the Same flights and privileges
that are enjoyed by the other branches
Of the service,