Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-27
SHEA GIVES NOTICE
TO CONGRESSMEN
Asserts Legislation Indicates Rail
Lines Contemplate Reduc-
ton in Wages.
DEMANDS CITIZENS RIGHTS
Predicts Passage of Act Is Almost
Certain to Precipitate
Revolt.
DEMANDS CITIZENS RIGHTS
IRy Associated Prcss.l

WASHINGTON. Oct. 26.-Timothy
Shea gave notice to Congress tonight
that the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and Enginemen. OF which he
is acting president would not observe
pending antistrike legislation il enact
ed into law.
such an attempt 10 single out rail-
road employees and deprive them OF
what he termed the economic right of
workers to strike to prevent Injustice
must be accepted. he said. in connec-
ZION with other Information which the
gone conclusion. that the railroads
yon9empEte waren Eh general reduction in
ders control and desire such Il measure
to forestall a strike.
III these interests or the legislators
peiieve railroad employees will unre-
sistingly submit TO any such invasion
OF their rights as citizens" Mr.. Shea
thought from their minds. because
beneTe ! speak for locomotive firemen
and and h1oStieTS; &c st at least; when say that
rights of American citizenship would
not be observed. not because this cias
but because such a law would be un-
Warranted. un- American and contrary
10 American institutions"
Would Precfpitntc Revolution.
Mr.. Shea said such law was almost
certain to precipitate revolution. and
was in fact, just what extreme radicals
ana ..!rb;s br;evolutionary not,; aEitators desire.
with the intention OF dispiacing the
and thereby overthrowing the existing
social. POLITICAL and Industrial instl-
"If ant.strike Law is enacted. the
NH; S5 fSioS S5sss les SISs a'sn
$500 words in length. was PROMPTED
by the publication Of his recent testl-
in which he said the railroad i poe em. a.
p,loyees were prepared to fight for a
nyini Lying i;n,s wage and tine and half for
control. He said his remarks should
gressionai term, so that the public
might understand the position OF the
Awnit Outcome of Campaign.
come OF the governments campaign
adding that il the COS cost of Of living ing is nSa not
reduced: then they expect sufficient ad-
vance in wages TO enable them to
declared fremen were running in debt
from from 5? to $50 month because their
Time and a half for overtime work
,y Was declared TO be necessary to give
despite the passage of the Adamson
said the 'n1 Woala eontmae ts ts
work the men as long as ever before.
Locomotive. firemen cannot physi-
cally endure the hours they have been
required TO work" he continued, "and
which they have temporarily ac-
Quiesced in because OF the war
emergency. They have decided that
after nearly four years OF patient
waiting on their part. this issue cannot
be longer postponed"
Demands Economic Rights.
MIR. Shea declared pafiapca and
patriotism of railway transportation
employees in recent years have been
extraordinary, and now when they ask
the correction of intolerable conditions
they are called "Boshevists," con-
sidered disloyal to the government and
antistrike legislation proposed to take
from them their means Of redress
The way TO stop strikes, he declared.
was to give the workers their funda-
mental economic rights and proper
machinery for adjusting current local
grievances