Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-06-11
Employees and Street Car Off,
ciaIs Evade Attempt to Bind
Them to Verdict of Railway
Commission in Wage Dispute.
STATE BOARD ADJOURNS !
HEARING TILL MONDAY
Attorneys Engage in Heated
= Controversy When Effort Is
Made to Force Union Men to
Surrender WaIkout Rights.

The state railway commission ad-
journed its hearing on the wage dis
pute between the carmen's union and
the Omaha and Council Bluffs Street
Railway company until next Monday
morning at 10, after an all-day ses-
sion in the court house yesterday,
which was devoted entirely to argu-
ments regarding the jurisdiction of
the commission over the dispute
Harry G. Taylor, chairman of the
commission, informed attorneys for
the union and the company that the
commission would announce def
nitely Monday whether or not it
would take jurisdiction over the con-
troversy. He instructed the oppos-
ing factions to be prepared to carry
on the hearing at once, provided tn,
commission decided that it had law
ful Jurisdiction over the dispute.
The company challenged the con-
stitutional right of the commission
to fix wages at the hearing yestel-
day. contending that by no interpre-
tat:on of either the constitutional or
statutory law could the commission
fix the contract price between the
employer and the employe.
Heated Argument Ensues.
Throughout the session members
of the commission sought some as
surance that should they take up the
matter the union would abide by
their decision and not strike should
the decision be unfavorable. A heat
ed debate began when a member OF
the commission asked Attorney
Frank M. Coffee of Lincoln, counsel
for the union, if the union would DC
Satisfied if raise was not granted.
"Will the street car company
abide by the commissions deci-
sion?" shouted Mr.. Coffey, glaring
at John L. Webster, counsel for the
company.
"We always have and always will
abide by the decision of the courts"
replied Mr.. Webster, half rising
from his chair in anger. The COM
pany doesn't go off and take Sc
cret votes to strike, either"
"No, but your board of directors
meetings are very secret" retorted
Coffcy.
In reply to a direct question
whether the union would call a
strike or take the matter to the ST.
preme court if the commission
granted no increase, A. H. Bigelow,
counsel for the union, said:
IF the board makes careful and
impartial investigation of the situa-
tion and finds that a wage increse
j: not necessary its decision will be
of great weight with members of
the union, and with the public. II
takes a stronger body than any
union to defeat public sentiment"
"The union should not expect the
commission to take up the matter
unless it comes before you with
clean hands," declared Mr.. Webster.
ITO do that, it must revoke the
strike order. The company offered
IN good faith to submit its books to
the commission for examination
provided the men would abide BY
the commissions findings.
Both Factions Confident.
"They agreed to this one day and
the next day declared that the strike
would not be called off if the com.
MISSIONS findings were not salts.
factry. 1t would be better if >tle
company should employ an entirely
new force, if this eternal conflict is
to continue"
factions expressed confidence
that the commission would decide in
their favor.
"The commission will have to re-
verse a former stand if it decires
that It has no jurisdiction over the
wage dispute, declared Attorney
Bigelow 1--WE are confident that il
will proceed with the hearing On
Monday"
Company officials would not state
what action the company would take
If the hearing was continued.
The union requested a wage in
crease of l3 cents an hour in its COM
plant filed with the commission, and
stated that a strike had been voted.
Mr.. Bigelow explained during the
hearing that "a failure on the part Of
the commission to grant the entire Is
cents did not mean that a. strike
would be called"