Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-07
BUSINESS MEN 8
ASSOCIATION To
BACK SPRINGER

In the matter of the Transfers
strike which has been hanging fire
for the past two months. the Bust
ness Mems Protective association sent
the following letter to the Central La
Dor union Friday night.
Central Labor Union, Albuquerque,
n. NJ.
Il am directed by the board of di-
rectors of the Business Mems Coop
erative association to advise you that
after due consideration of the matter
of the Springer transfer strike, we
have decided that it is our duty to
stand sqoarely behind the transfer
company in their present attitude.
THE reason for this decision must
be clear to you from the previous let
tiers written your bodies by this asso-
citation.
Yours very sincerely,
(Signed) "E. T. CHASE"
president"
The foregoing letter was sent to W.
NJ Cote, who was president of the
Central Labor union when the nego-
tiations between the Business Mems
association and the central body. with
reference to the Transfers strike, were
started, Yesterday Mr.. Cote sent the
following reply to Mr.. Chase:
Albuquerque, N. M, Dec. G.
"Mr. f. r. Chase, President Business
Mems cooperative Association, AL
buquerque, N. NJ
Dear Mr.. Chase:--Your letter or
December s to hand and beg to ad-
wise you that am no longer president
Of the Central Labor union but, how
ever. will see that your letter reaches
the president of same. 1 wish to state,
however, personally that / do not APP
prove of the actions taken by the
Business Mems association. If they
had concentrated their forces for a
Just and righteous cause to stand back
of, | believe the citizens of this cifJ
would have admired you much more.
The Springer and Shufflebarger Trans
fer companies agreed to take their
employees back on sixty-day test and
if their efficiency hadn't decreased any
to their previous standard, they
agreed to sign a contract with the
union Transfers for nine-hour day
and a closed shop. This, however, they
changed two days later by notifying
the contractors, but not the union
teamsters or the Central Labor union.
I maintain, as 1 have always, that
those striking teamsters were worked
long and irregular hours and were
very poorly paid, far below the stand
ard of an American citizen, Some of
these same boys were good enough TO
volunteer their services to help fight
the worlds greatest war and were told
by all of our great American citizens
including the president of this great
country, that they were fighting for
democracy and freedom and not for
a few idlers who remained at home to
profiteer and to take advantage Of the
conditions of these times that our
country was forced to undergo.
Now when these brave young men
returned, these same men who cheered
them down the streets and went TO
their cantonment camps and cheered
them on their way again, had the au-
dacity to stand before the public OF
this city and say that these men are
not worth what they are asking, and
that they cannot conduct their bust
ness along the lines of a closed shop
when these same men are at the pres
ent, still asking for lower wages than
the United States government main
tains it takes to keep an American
family in decency and as an American
citizen should be raised.
Il wish to state that |, for one. am
standing at attention to see that no