The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-11-13
CHARGES FLY FAST N !.
EXPRESS CONTROVERSY
Company Cficia.s and Striking SIGN
Each say the Otfer Is CnecaS-
ona bic.

TIE air was thick yesterday with
charges ard counter charges eIanat-
Ing from the camps OF local express
conilGay ciilc,a-s and represen atives
Of the eng loyes in the strike con'ro-
versy. which eliminated in a general
walk out OF The uaion men and the
Gripping OF lhs business OF the Rich
inord ONCE, The strike management
claim that the tie-up is spreading
through the southeastern territory.
General Agent Cole, with Offices here,
said yesterday afternoon that he had
no confirmation OF this.
Zach side has charged the other
with unfair tactics. General Agent
Cole characterized the action OF the
union men as arbitrary. in that they
are alleged to have refused TO await
decision OF q conference to be held
in Washington mex, Monday. On the
other hand. General Chairman II. A..
Berry, representing the strikers. de-
clares that the employees here have
received harsh treatment, which has
become -unbearable.
Mr.. Cole declares the trouble was
caused partially by the Jealousy Of
the local union men toward the
brotherhood Of Railway Express en-
ployes. MIR. Berry, In a statement
given out at a meeting hold In local
hotel. characterized the com pany OH
Gals as '14bor ha ting" Mr.. Cole
directs attention to the fact that the
company Is operating under contract
with the government. Mr.. Berry as
serts that the methods OF the officials
are intolerable.
General Chairman H A.. Berry, OF
the express employees Division Of the
Brotherhood of Railway Clerks. yes
terday issued the following statement:
After taking three strike votes
within the last ten days and making
every effort to avoid drastic action.
it became necessary last night to re-
fuse to handle any express matter ex-
cept government express in the south
eastern and South Atlantic depart
ments of the American Railway Ex-
press company. Every important ex
press empioye at Richmond went out,
and from Washington. d. c. to Jack
sonville, Fla. and westward Of the
Mississippi river the employees are
presenting a solid front
''As IL the unsettled grievances OF
the express employees did not consti-
tute sufficient reasons to cause drastic
action, the company has insisted on
forcing them 20 walk out by d.scharg-
ing three express employees at Rich
/ uond who are mem bers Of the union
and one Petersburg. Va, messenger.
and two m en- at Savannah. Ga. After
repeated attempts, not only by local
committees of the express employees
but by appeals from the grand officers
OF the Brotherhood OF Railway Clerks.
to have the men reinstated. this WAS
refused by the officials of the eIprc ~
, company. and the employees walked
out.
These men are not government
employees in any sense of the word
and are a. the mercy O. the same
labor hating officials that have 50 long
tried to beat down the workers in the
employ of the company. The COM
pany have not hcsitated to Use every
weapon to fight the union OF the
express employees and a fake union
has been organized under their
auspices aud then formally recog-
nized by the express company and
attempts made to force the employees
/ to join this fake union
General Manager ]. r. Hockaday.
himself. he's peddled around amon@
the express err pioyes the literature Of
. this compa promoted union sc we'll
rs the minor officials g; Riofl 'nond
The flies of the express employees
Union are open to amy public otiteief
VINO cares III SATISFY. niNlSGfI iEAt tHe
express employees have endured
oppression and grievances such as no
other organized body OF workers in
America have had to bear. Through
spirit Of patriotism, and that alone.
did they make the nnraeso-ah,e
! efforts they did to secure a peaceful
settlement Of differences. They have
appealed 10 the national war labor
/, board and TO the United States rail
road administration without results of
any kind
Meantime these grievances are
being added to every day. TIE Ara
straw that broke the camefs back.
however. was the arbitrary discharge
of six OF our union members. in the
South Atlantic department of the
American Railway Express company.
OF which General MANAGER J. 3. Hook
aday is the head official. We made
/ he fiat demand for reinstatement Of
these employees and the waikcu. was
precipatated upon the refusal OF Mr..
| Hockaday to meet this demand. Mr..
Hockaday wrote one Of tho members
THAT he would investigate the dis
charge of the men but would have to
consider them under suspers sion until
then. Inasmuch as Mr.. Hockadav has
| failed utterly to attend to grievances
in his hands for several months. W.
could not accept his offer 20 investi-
gate.
a