Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-01
STRIKE CAUSED
BY employers
MIXING ISSUES
Refusal of Company to Separate
Own Demands from Mems in
Rehearing Was Incentive.

In a nutshell, the refusal of the
Tri-City Railway company to di-
yorce a raise in wages for its train
men from increased car fares was
the direct cause Of the street car
strike.
In the commission meeting yes
terday morning in Chicago, accord
ing to the report of the members
OF the street Garments executive
committee who attended the re-
hearing, the company proposed to
the union heads a wage rate of "a,
81 and so cents, effective today, to
continue until Sept. l. If on or
before Sept. 1 a 7-cent fare was
allowed the company, the increas-
ed wage should continue If the
fare raise was refused the wage
scale should revert to the present
rates.
The proposal of this to the union
rofilcials-heads of Davenport, Rock
Island and Muscatine locals. and
j. P. Lawson-met with adamant
refusal. They told B. J. Denman,
representing the car company, that
they would consider no proposal
based upon the earnings of the
company. They made clear that
they were at the meeting solely to
gain a living wage for the men,
and not to bubble with the com
pany over its ability or inability
to pay.
Heads Recommend Strike.
With this fresh in mind, all four
of the leaders told of the COM
pany's action this morning, but Mr..
Lawson stated that he would make
no recommendation of action to
the men. The effect, however,
was the same as it would
have been had a strike been
urged The effect upon the men
was virtually the same, or per
haps stronger than it had been
NRpon their leaders. They refused
to accept any offer but one of
wages, unhampered with modif1ca
tions.
AS one speaker said: Where
does that leave us after Sept. l?
In another month we'd be out of
the boat again-we're in the boat
together now, the same boat we
were in the first of June-let's stay
in it until we get a contract that
we can depend upon. If we've got
TO starve, we might as well starve
now sitting down as then standing
up"
Mr.. Lawson. international vice
president of the Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen, told an Argus
reporter last night at the meeting
that the decision of the interna-
tional heads which sanctioned a
k~Tl NJ
day morning, but several weeks
ago at the time of the first hear
ing before the utilities commits
sion. The international organiZa-
tion cannot order a strike. but on
the other hand. its sanction or dis
approval practically governs the
would-be strikers.
Commend Mayors.
Rock Island city officials were
warmly commended for their eff
forts in the utilities commission
rehearing by various speakers.
They were quoted as being very
fair to the men in the measures
they urged before the commission.
They 'mportuned the company to
grant a wage scale guaranteed by
contract and satisfactory to the
men. After that, they agreed, the
company should be allowed to
prove its need of a higher fare. II
the figures produced were conyinc-
ing they would not oppose the fare
raise. They refused, however, to
see the mems appeal for a better
salary be used to further the com
pany's attempt for a 7-cent fare. |
Mayor Schriver of Rock Island and |
Mayor Dougherty of Davenport i
and James NJ. Johnston, city at
torney of Moline, were especially |
praised for their fairness in this |
respect.