The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-02-28
Railroad Managers Are Trying to
Discredit the Operation of the
Roads by the Government During
the Progress Of the War.
AN EXPERTS STATEMENT.
Head of the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen Causes am Angry Buzz
in Wall Street by His Unqualified
Statements as to Conditions.

w. U. Lee, president OF the Brother
hood Of Railway Trainmen, when he
appeared before the Railroad Wage
commission asking for wage ad-
justment for the $4,000 men in his
organization!
Every practical railroad man in
country knows that the railroad man
ayers at least some of them have
laid down on the government because
they do not want to make operation
by the government a success" That
was the startling statement with
which he threw down the gage Of bat
tie to the railroad men who were to
oppose his demands.
II am frank to say" he continued,
e'I am conceited enough to think I
can pick out a few switchmen, engin-
eers and conductors that could have
handled some of these divisions bet
ter than they were handled in this
congested territory"
"I am making this statement pub-
lie, and can back it up by the sworn
statements of experienced men. They
were not permitted to railroad as they
knew railroading. Why? There is a
reason.
EFF the Government makes a sue
cess of operating these railroads, do
you think the public will let them go
back? No. And that is why.
Men Ready to Help.
ssI want to see the railroads make
success Of it, and that is why /
pledged the loyalty Of my men. That
is why men, many of them who are
here and thousands of them over the
country, are ready to do everything
they can to make a success Of it.
But you cannot expect to be made a
success of, II handled and absolutely
controlled by gentlemen who do not
want to make a success, and who have
all Of these things IN their own hands.
tsI think can prove conclusivelyj" J"
Mr.. lee continued, in answer to a
question, that the operating offic-
ials increased their costs unnecessar-.
ily. On q certain division of a rail-
road not far from this city, freight
crews have been called to leave a ter
minal at certain time and the 16-
hour law overlook them before they
left the terminal. Not in one in
stance but many such Instances. Pay
ing the entire crew for the 16 hours
laying on side track.
Piles Up Overtime.
ssWhy;-I put IN q good many years
myself in the service,.and don't know
of anything that would have caused a
man to be discharged quicker than
FOR. such rotten railroading as that,
and the most humble brakeman knows
it.
ssThe purpose is to show the great
est possible cost and delay and over
time to the commi ssion that is inves-
tigating, SO that when these men
come back and ask for time and q
half for overtime they can say, as this
report says, that it cost $6S ,OOO, GOO
to put the Adamson law into effect
as it has been put into effect.
eyes, If I were operating the roads
could make it cost double that, or
I could cut it in two"
Secretary Of the Interior Lane, who
Is chairman Of the Railroad Wage
Commission, thought that Lee was
unduly suspicious Of the railroad man
agements.
aDo you think that the men up
above the operating trainsmen con-
spired to bring about this result {" ne
asked. .,, i, !.
ssbut / think a sufficient number in
terested are doing all they can to keep
the Government from making q sue
cess of this railroading operation. !
think everything points to it"
eve are talking about last years.
experience under the eight hour law, ,"
persisted Lane. You have made 9
yery broad statement, and it surpris-
ed me. because it seemed to me that
human nature is not given to that
I. sort of practice as much as you ap-
near to believe; and It seemed TO me
also that you have got TO have the
president Of the road and the gener-
aal manager Of the road, and the di-
vision superintendent and the dis
! hatcher, at least, all in line n order
Is bring this policy about. !.
Trace to Four Banks.
aAll of these men work under or-
defs," replied Lee. s. s.. I. ,s. /.
ssWho Is the man that gives the 61
der n I.ane asked "
[ 1 ssyverod. New Y York City, 20 auout
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