Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-27
Timothy Shea Serves Notice
That Firemen and Engine
men Will Not Observe Legis-
Iation Against WaIkouts.
WOULD DEPRIVE THEM
OF CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS
Such a Law Almost Certain to
PreCipitate Revolution, and
Is Just What Agitators
Hoped for, He Asserts.

Washington, Oct. 26.-Timothy
Shea has given notice to congress
that the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and Enginemen, of which
he is acting president, would not OBJ
serve pending anti-strike legislation
if enacted into law.
Such an attempt to single out rail-
road employees and deprive them of
what he termed the economic right
of workers to strike to prevent in
justice must be accepted, he said, in
connection with other information
which the railroad brotherhoods
have, as foregone conclusion, that
the railroads contemplate a general
reduction in wages when the gov
ernment surrenders control and de-
sires such a measure to forestall a
strike.
"If these interests or the legis-
lators believe railroad employees will
INCREASINGLY submit to any such in
vasion of their rights as citizens" I"
Mr.. Shea continued, they had bet
ter expel that thought from their
minds, because | believe | speak for
locomotive firemen and hostlers at
least when say that any law which
deprives them of the rights of Amer
ican citizenship would not be~ob-
served, not because this class of
American citizens are law breakers,
but because such a law would be
unwarranted, un-American and con-
trary to American institutions"
Fears a Revolution. -
Mr.. Shea said such law was al
most certain to precipitate revolu-
ton, and was, in fact, just what ex-
treme radicals and revolutionary
agitators desire.
"This would give them logical
argument for direct action" he as
serted, with the intention of dis
placing the liberal and more con-
servative leaders, and thereby over
throwing the existing social, politi-
cal and industrial institutions of the
country.
eff the anti-strike law is enacted,
the responsibility for any upheaval
which may follow lies with con-
gress."
Railroad men are waiting the out
come of the governments campaign
against high prices, said Mr.. Shea,
adding that if the cost of living is
not reduced, then they expect suf-
fcient advance in wages to enable
them to maintain their standard of
living. He declared fremen were
running in debt from $5 to $50
month because their wage increases
have not kept pace with mounting
prices. .,.-
Time and Half Overtime.
Time and half for overtime work
was declared to be necessary to give
the men a real eight-hour day, which
he declared they have never en-
joyed despite the passage of the
Adamson law. Without punitive
overtime, he said, the railroads
would continue to work the men as
long as ever before.
Locomotive firemen cannot
physically endure the hours they
have been required to work." he con-
tinued, "and which they have tenn
porarily acquiesced in because of war
and emergency. They have decided
that after nearly four years of pa
tient waiting on their part this issue
cannot longer be postponed"
The way to stop strikes, Mr.. Shea
declared, was to give the working
men their fundamental economic
rights ard proper machinery for ad-
justing current local grievances.