The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-23
SHEA INDICATES
RAILWAY WORKERS
PLAN FOR BATTLE
Testimony of Chief of Fire
mems Brotherhood Shows
Men Will Demand Increased
Pay on Transfer of Roads.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23.-Indications
n railroad employees will insist upon
the granting of their demands for in
creased wages, time and a half over
Time, the eight-hour day and changes
IN working conditions before the rail-
roads Of the country are turned back
by the government TO private control is
contained in testimony by Timothy
shea, chief Of the firemen's brotherhood
before the railroad administrations
board OF railway wage and working
Mr.. Shea told the board during its
hearing of the firemenIs demands, ac-
cording to the testimony published to-
day, that to members of his brother
hood was due an increase in wages,
which, he said, IF / cannot get il out
OF this conference, it may be necessary
get it."
In another portion of Mr.. Shea's tes-
timony, he is quoted as declaring that
II the fremen's demands for a living
wage should not be met when the time
approaches for the turning back of the
railroads to their private owners and
the workers shall demand as a condi-
ton precedent to the return, the grant
ing of those demands.
Although MIR. Shea appeared before
the board only in behalf Of the fire
men, IT. Is generally considered that to
AANCA Na9S III Na6tS VI tie llEtIleil
would necessitate a similar increase to
all railroad workers and any action
taken by the firemen to enforce their
wage demands would involve similar
action by the other brotherhoods.
No Cut Possible.
When Mr.. Shea told the board he did
not think 1t possible for working pen
pie TO eurtail expenditures any more,
W. f. Morse, who was general manager
Of a railroad before becoming a mem
Der of the board, asked:
DO you represent any men who are
buying automobiles and those things?"
II do not hear" the witness re-
%sponded, "of any firemen buying au-
tomobiles."
You would not regard an automobile
as a necessity, would your" Morse
again queried.
Yes, 1 would" was Shea's answer.
We'll | have denied myself a neces-
sity all my life" Mr.. Morse retorted.
II think we have reached a period of
life when the laboring man must enjoy
some Of the necessaries and Injuries of
life" Shea continued. II do not think
the time is at hand when the American
w%orkingman should be required to make
any great sacrifice now. They have
made their sacrifices"
Shea and A. o. Wharton, who left the
presidency of the railway employees de-
partment of the American Federation of
Labor, composed of the shopmen, to
join the board, according to the testi-
mony, engaged in a controversy over
the comparisons made between the pay
of firemen and shopmen. Mr.. Wharton
declared he knew of inexperienced fire
men who had received pay increases of
14O per cent Shea protested that this
did not apply to the majority OF the
men who had received advances Of only
so per cent, compared with IS per cent
increase in prices.
"As a trades u%nionist." Wharton as
serted, Il have never dreamed that a
man representing a labor union would
bring before the tribunal data which
shows such an incorrect picture of the
conditions and the earnings of the men
as you have presented"