New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-12-05
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UNION LABOR LIKELY
TO GAIN | n UPPE R HAND
MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL
RECOGNIZES RIGHTS OF
STRIKERS.
SITUATION GRAVE. GENERAL
STRIKE MAY BE NEXT
UNION MOVE.

y
trainmen's side of the controversy be-
tween the traction company and the
union men in which controversy the
State Public Safety Commission had
ordered the men back to work and in
sisting in their order that the union men
refrain from wearing their union buttons
while on duty. The Trades & Labor
Asse mbly took hand in this trouble
with the result that the Minneapolis
city council held special meeting.
With big crowd of union sympa-
thlzers looking on, the Minneapolis
aldermen yesterday passed a resolution
with only one dissenting vote asking
the Council Of National Defense to order
the street railway company to reinstate
the men now out because Of the failure
to- remove their union buttons, and
urging further that the lines Of the cons
pany be taken over and operated unless
this was done.
The resolution indirectly criticizes
the Minnesota Public Safety Commits
sion. It goes on record as favoring the
union trainsnen's side Of the controversy
completely. The council accepted the
statement Of the case as prepared by the
Trades and Labor assembly, introduced
by Alderman Bastis, Socialist. Lynn
Thompson, Socialist member of the
school board one of the chief agitators
fof union among trainmen, helped to
draft the resolution, it is said.
"a was q eeses Of Che. eEoAds having IS
way. Speakers who even deiigned to
suggest that some changes be made were
hooted and Kissed until the presiding
officer had to threaten to clear the
chamber. Those who told the men
that they were with them to the last
received round after round of applause.
One after another the aldermen fell
in line. One after another they assured
the crowd that they were with it. Upon
the roll call there was only one dissenting
vote, that Of Alderman ]. G. Robb.
The vote was "a to /.
The resolution adopted by the council
follows:
Whereas, The right of labor to or
ganize into unions for self-prote lection is
not only recognized by law, but APP
proved and encouraged by the best
public sentiment of the country; and,
Whereas, The conditions under which
the employees Of the Minneapolis Street
Railway company have been compelled
to work have forced them for their
mutual protection to organize them
selves into union which even the Public
Safety commission of Minnesota, an
organization which cannot be accused
of being too friendly, has approved; and,
Whereas, The constitutional right Of
said employees to- belong to the union
and to wear the emblem of their organiza-
ticn has been violated by the street car
company issuing an order which has been
posted in all its stations prohibiting the
wearing Of such emblems; and,
$ Whereas, The street railway COM
pany has locked out large number Of
men who have refused to comply with
this arbitrary and provocative order Of
the company; and,
Whereas, Such order is a direct
challenge to the right Of all labor Of this
city and of the nation to belong to labor
organizations and to wear emblems of
such organizations and has aroused
organized labor of the Twin Cities to
protest against this unWarranted, un-
lawful and high handed method Of the
street car company in treating with its
employees and is threatening to precipitate
a general strike in these cities. 81
Whereas, A general tying up OF in
sdustries will not only cause great in
convenience and hardship to the people
OF these cities, but many e1nbarrass
our government in its preparations for
this war for freedom and democracy.
Now, therefore, be it resolved, That
the city council of Minneapolis call upon
the National Council Of Defense to
immed iately order the street car COM
pany to reinstate all men unlawfully dis
charged because Of their disobedience Of
the company's order not to wear em-
blems Of their organization, and be it
Resolved, That on the failure to
comply with such order Of national
council Of defense by the street railway