Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-02-05
Chairman Lee, of Brother
hood, Accuses Officials
of Conspiracy.
Openly Charges That Fear Of Govern
mont Ownership at End Of War
Caused Operating Departments to Set
About TO Make Federal Control Un-
successful--Admits Rotten Railroad
ing.

Washington. y. g., Feb. 5.-C'hargcs
that the railway manasemcn,s ar,
attempting to discrcdt govern
ment operation OF railroads wcr.
made today by w q. Lee. head OF the
railroad trainmen. at the wage near
Ing. La4
~ have facts to prove that exper
| iehccd railroad men arc not permitted
to operate as their training dictates.
said Mr.. Lee. '1f the old managcmcnta
do not want government operation
mad" success. do YOU thing the pub
lie VIII let the railroads 30 back to
| the old system II government, manage
mcnt proves efficient! That's why
want the government to make a sue
cess OF operating the roads"
Mr.. Lees remarks were made In Il
heated discussion prccipitnted by sev.
"ral railroad representatives in the
room.
A. Il. Gnrrctson. head nf the rniIroa d
conductors. charged their presence was
In contravcntlon Of tho understanding
with Director General McAdoo.
Commissioners covngton said the
railroad representatives were there bv
invitation.
you will pardon my being sls-
pcious." Mr.. lie said but have been
dealing with those gentlemen for hnlf
century"
Mr.. Lee said Increased wagcs were
asked simply because OF the increased
cost OF living and believed the employees
were Justified In asking higher wagcs.
Mr.. lie" said he had evidence tina,
veteran railroad mon were replaced by
inexperienced employees at important
Rhtrwnys. that engines had been al
lowed to freeze up over night and trnln
crews had been called out and kept
waiting until the sixteen hour law ov-
crtOok thcm before being sent from
the terminal
a. I3, Garrctaon. head OF the Couduc-
tors, asserted that railroad manage
mcnts were trying to disCrcdit govern .
mrnt operation.
Lees charges were made twice dur .
Ing tho hearing. First he told tho com .
mission he had evidence to prove oS
pcr!cnccd railrOad men were not per-
mittcd to operate as ;ncir training die
tatcd. Later in discussing the eight .
hour law, recently investigated, he said
the commission should not overlook
the fact that the managements work
to make the cost and delay due to the
law as great ns possible
Charges Of Rotten RaiIroading.
DO you mean that the operating Of
hcials made tho costs far greater than
they should have bccn?" Chairman
f.nnn nskcd
yes. they desired to cast reflections
on tho law" Lee replied I've aru
prepared TO show many instances OF
rotten raIlronding. On a railway not
far from Here ] know Of n crew that
was called out md the sixteen hour
law overlook them before they loft the
terminal. Tho operating employees can
not prevent these delays when, instead
OF train dispatcher there Is back In
The yards a train dclaycr"
DO you think there was n conspir-
acv?' asked Chairman Lane.
mo. but I think they were working
. TO make government operation n fail
urc." Lee answered III I looked for
the real cause would trace II back
10 about four banks in New York City.
! Can you tell me whv the Pennsylvania
line fell down nil of sudden Why
veteran yardman nj Alliance, O.. hnI
been replaced by an inexperienced mau
there? Why do reports TO the inter
state commerce commission show thnt
In Philadelphia recently more engines
wore allowed to freeze UP over night
than ever before We hnvc had win
tiers before. Why IL al this conges
ton just nowf