Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-17
STRIKE WOULD APPEAR
LIKE REVOLT TO EUROPE
Head OF Union Pacific Wonders IL
Some Shrewdcr Power Than Union
Heads Is Back OF Plan.
CRITICAL TIME FOR NATION
I'm Many Ways, II Is Declared, "a
Railroad Ttc-Cp Would BE Worth
More to Our Enemies Than Win.
ming Of Many Battles.
IRv Associated prcsal

nv Associated PrcssI
OMAHA. NER.. March l6.--prcsidcnt
l.. l.. Calvin. OF the Union Pacific Rail
road, to-day issued tho following
statements:
In connection with tho threat OF a
general railroad strike at this time
the question arises. is some power
shrcwdcr and more aS,utc than tho
brotherhood leaders back of the plau
to precipitatc a transportation tic.up
at this time. and establish in this
country condition which. to the
minds OF our enemies in Europe. may
seem like = revolt against our govern
mcnt:
II am in hearty sympathy with
Elisha Ice chairman Of tho national
conference committee Of tho railways.
when he calls attention to the fac,
that the serious interns tional stua-
tion should cause every citizen In pu,
every thought of personal right or dc.
sire second 10 his duty TO his country
I'm letter addressed 10 President
wilson some days ago. tho brotherhood
leaders gave assurance that, in case OF
VAT. they would render every possible
assistance TO the government
They have overlooked tho fact that
in many Ways railroad strike in this
country would be worth more TO our
enemies than tho winning Of many
battles Even IL tho strike bc called
off should war he declared. the strike
tic-up would have resulted in such a
congestion Of freight that weeks and
probably months would he passed be
fore the railroads would I've i'm normal
running condition again. This would
mean that tho movement of troops
would he seriously intertcrcd with.
and the movement of commissYry sup
plies and munitions so seriously intcr-
rurtcd as To give our enemies ,rc-
mcndous advantage.
OFFICER or NAVY TELLS
or DANGER FACING. NATION
~ day ct two ago an officer of our
navy said 4 tic-up of tho railroads for
even two days would be serious blow
to tho national welfare AT this critical
time. VIC must keep tho f,cct fully
coalcd and equipped with other sup
plies
Moreover. VIC arc rushing our con-
stru"tion work in the navy, and two
DAYS tic-up of transportation Of tho
materials urgently needed might mean
two months delay in tho emergency
work VIC have undertaken.
nc lHEk ana lllc or inc rallloau
-hroth erhoods have waited for ten weeks
for the decision OF the United States
supreme Court to tho conStitu-
tionality OF the Adamson law. dcc-
sion which may be handed down al
most any day.
I'm accordance with our agreement
at that time, the railroads OF tho coun-
try have kept separate time records
since January l, scrupulously record
ing the increased pay tina, would be
due To their employees in case the
hdamSon law is upheld.
Further. tho strike vote taken by
the men was for specific time and
purpose. and. in the minds Of many OF
tho brotherhood men. to make use ut
the strike vote taken last summer to
call strike at this time would he
illegal.
when VIC stand face To face with
the probability OF a war which viii
tax all our energy. il seems 10 me that
in speaking of the plans OF The
brotherhood leaders to tie up tho
transportation industry of the country,
the people arc justified in using a
stronger term than 'ill-adviscd'
1T IS impossible To believe that the
brotherhood leaders. who have hereto
fore shown real gcncralship, will lead
those who trust in them upon such a
FOOLS Grand"