The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-12-13

MY Dear Sir: Replying to your
letter enclosing a resolution adopted
by the trade unionists in convention
assembled on Dec. 5, 1917, / wish to
say that the resolution appears to be
based on the alleged facts recited in
it's preamble consisting Of five SUBJ
divisions. The recitals therein made
1t apparent that the trainers Of the
resolution did not have in their pos
session the real facts.
"The first subdivision alleges that
the carmen's union has been locked
out by the Twin City Rapid Transit
company, for displaying union butt
tons Although have been opposed
to some of the positions taken by the
company in certain stages OF the dis
pute, wish to say that the action OF
the company in this connection was
pursuant to recommendations adopt
ed by the Safety commission with the
understanding that the recommends
tions had been agreed upon by both
parties.
Action by Company Cited.
Among the several recommends
tions so adopted was the one relative
to buttons which it was understood
by the commission had been agreed
upon to avoid friction and irritation
between union men wearing union
I buttons and non-union men wearing
non-union buttons and between the
employees and the public. The nom
union men, constituting a larger por-
tion OF the employees, complied with
the recommendation. Many Of the
union men, constituting a small min
ority Of all the employees, refused to
do so. Thereafter, because OF a pre-
vious representation by the repre-
sentative of the carmen's union, that
| the recommendation as to buttons
would be complied with IL made an
/ order, the Safety commission adopt
ed a resolution giving the recon-
mendations of the special committee
the force Of an order and under this
order the company, which had sus-
| pended the union men because OF
their failure to comply with the rec
concentrations, was directed by the
commission to rescind it's action and
| to take back the union men giving
them three additional days after the
day set by the company in which they
could go back to work. The men
who failed to return as provided for
] in the order are those referred to in
4 the first subdivision Of your resolu-
ton.
Constitutional Right Discussed.
"The second subdivision alleges
that the union men are deprived OF
their constitutional right. If the con-
stitutional right of any employe is
involved, the place to test that ques-
ton is in the courts and not through
threats of strikes on the part of the
men directly involved or sympathetic
strikes on the part of other men in
other trades. This of all times is the
time for the peaceful and patriotic
| compliance with governmental orders
| issued in good faith to secure a
friendly spirit among the men, the
company and the public. This is most
clearly not the time for the voting of
sympathetic or other strikes with the
accompanying dangers of riot, blood
shed and loss of life.
Matter Declared Arbitrated,
THE third subdivision alleges that
arbitration has been rejected by the
representatives OF the company In
October the company did not wish to
be interfered with by the commission.
but the union men requested us to
act. The matters in dispute were
finally, upon agreement between both
parties, submitted to the Safety COM
mission for arbitration and the COM
mission ordered the reinstatement of
A out Of 81 men who had been dis
charged by the company. The COM
pany complied with the order, al
though it felt that the commissions s
decision was unfair to the company.
'The representative OF the car
mems union later alleged violations
Of this first order and on his request
the matters in dispute were again
submitted to the commission. AS a
Ea1r &C. n
stated through the efforts of the
special committee appointed by the
commission and to eliminate future
Ill feeling and agitation during the
war and to secure friendly and
peaceable adjustment of the situa-
ton, the second order was issued with
the understanding. as above stated,
that the union would willingly COM
ply Herewith. The matters in dis
pute, therefore, in reality have been
arbitrated and another arbitration
would be a waste OF time and merely
a repetition Of what has already been
done. After the commission issued
its orders, the street railway company
had no right to arbitrate the question
as to whether the parties involved
should obey or disobey the orders Of
the Public Safety commission.
Compliance Held Pledged.
THE fourth subdivision alleges
that the Public Safety commission in
ordering the removal OF the buttons
has shown an utter lack Of apprecia-
ton of the rights of the Garments
union and OF organized labor In gem
eral. AS already has been stated. the
commission issued this order because
the representative of the Garments
union said the union men would will
ingly comply with such an order. In
stead or showing a lack of apprecia-
tion of the rights OF organized labor,
the true facts will disclose that the
Public Safety commission made 1t
possible to save the union organiza-
tion by directing the company TO take
back the discharged union men and
by establishing the understanding
that each employe of the company
should have the right of joining a
labor union without being discharged
because of his membership in such a
union. Resolutions were thereafter
adopted by the carmen's union ex-
pressing appreciation OF the work of
the commission in behalf of organized
labor. BY ordering. on the suggestion
Of a union representative. the temp
orary removal OF button from a
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streets south between Fourteenth and