Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-19
LABOR LEADERS RESENT
LOYALTY PLEDGE CARDS
Say Railroads Should First Come
Clean With Men as to Hours
and Overtime.
PROMISED EIGHT-HOUR DAY
But Many Clerks Are Now Working
Twelve Hours Per Day, Seven
Days in the Week, With No AL
lowancc for Overtime.

lowantc for Overtime.
Labor leaders both in and outside OF
the railroads last night expressed .he
belief that the effort TO get -ailroal
men TO pledge their loyalty for the
period of the gar was in fac. an eff ,rt
to stem the i'I- ne: un'ortz:ts Il sh -
and yard men and Clerks Several
branches OF M rm ,ln'c,s OF the Loco
motive Works have recently been
unionized. the newly formed union OF
express clerks is now out on strike
for recognition. the Seaboarl clerks
won concessions by successful strike
some months ago. and the CLERKS OF
other railroads are being rapidly or
ganized for their own pro:ectioh.
II believe the railroad inca are as
loyal ana patriotic as any people on
earth" said a local labor leader last
night, land IL is no. necessary for the
companies Ia attempt 10 purchase their
LOYALTY with the promise of button.
But IL the men are asked not 10 do
anything that will tend TO create dis
organization the railway managers
should be bound by the same pledge
director General McAdoo. in his
wage award. recognized the principle
of the eight-hour day, but so far the
only railway employees who have the
e!ght-hour day are those strongly
unionized. Richmond, fredericksburg
and Potomac yard clerks at Bolton and
Acca are working twelve hours per day
seven days in the week and receive no
pay FOR overtime When the clerks
protested. they were told that the rail-
road could not get the men. and that
II was their patriotic duty to keep the
trains moving. Yet men who have
applied have been told that there
were no vacancies.
Must COME TO THE MEN
WITH CLEAN HANDS
IF the railroad managers want their
men to stand by them during the
period OF the war. they must come TO
them With clean hands 1t is not fair
TO ask the men to pledge their loyalty
when the roads have utterly refused
to carry ou' the terms OF the wage
agreement, except for the strongly
organized hrotherhoods. either as TO
hours or par for overtime
Carrying o,it the progra OF Dircc-
tor-General Mc.Adoo Of securing the
Loyalty of all railroad employees and
in getting them enlisted in the army
behind the lines r. l.. Hammer. gen
E al ''evciorLrnt agent of the ScT|'rIrd
Air Line Railway. spoke to railway
employees mere yesterday al three cif-
ferent N'a"rs and issued loyalty pledc "s
- be ncc and returned by them 10
the c1-uNaNE.
Mr. Hammer addressed the shop
worN"r: AZ H. o'clack yesterday norm
ing at t"cH nd a. noon he SPOKE to
the lreirh- t'.rdlers al the S=ohoa-d
warehnu',7. 4: ocIock he was st
Main S,r-"t station where he 1='iv-
cred q similar message to the en-
ployecs there
The pledges were issued to the en-
ployces through the foremen at the
shops. and will be distributed To the
wurkmen. who will bc asked 10 sign
and return them TO the company. The
employee afliXin- his Signature to the
card pledges himself to uphold the
Constitution. subordinates inferior con-
siderations he may have to the inte.-
est OF the country and further pledges
that he will not do or say anything
that Will tend to create disorCaniza
ton. dissatisfaction or to interrupt the
most Efficient operation of tho rail
Aroads OF this country"
WILL ne GIVEN DRoNzE
nuI'rON FOR LOYALTY
Every employee who signs the pledge
will be given bronze button, with
the words thereon. I'm Federal service.
railway division; loyalty and best
efforts pledged"
IN speaking to the men. Mr. Hammer
said:
Every railroad man In tho country
machinery or tie United States gov
eminent. In moving the supplies OF
the nation they are performing tho
same type or tasks as arc the soldiers
regularly attached TO the commissary
department of the army.
''Of course. under these conditions
the FIRST duty Of the railroads and OF
their employees is 10 the government
The men and materials which II must
have moved In order TO continue the
successful prosecution OF the war arc
their urinary consideration Then
they mus: do their utmost TO take caro-
OF the transportation needs o. every
essential business and Of the people
as these are related 10 the production
and distribution OF food md other sup
plies.
..All Of us must do more than ever
consciousness that lie profts most
who serves best In ny own depart
ment ] am called upon To work harder
than ever before. at "a lowe! salary.
and 10 continue its activities for agri-
cultural and industrial development
with much smaller force ana Jesse.
operating fund Some Of oar ahlcs,
executives are working for the gov
eminent for Il great deal less than
they would be paid If engaged III ordin.
AIRY commercial activities
SALARY AND WAGE
ADJJ SINIEN'TS PROMISED
However, t. Is not the policy Of the
government 10 require similar sacri-
fees from ali the men in railroad
service. II has recognized that in view
of the increased living costs they are
entitled to be better compensated than
in The past. From time to time salary
and wage adjustments will be made
where required. which Will serve to
protect the employees. and IL is believed
. that the people will willingly pay the
additional freight and passenger rates
made necessary BY these
RAILROAD men are just AS much in
the government service as II they wore
tie Khaki and were activ on the ba, =
tie fronts. il is importan, that they
should recognize this fact ard that tie