The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-11
INDUSTRIAL LAW
MAY PREVENT BIG
STRIKE IN KANSAS
Railway Union Head in Confer
ence With Governor.
Said Men Had No Desire to
Violate State Orders.
SEND IN WAGE REQUEST LATER
Kansas WOrkmen May Await
Return of the Railroads.
Industrial Court Determined to
Prosecute q WaIkOut.

Strike orders by railroad union
heads may not be sent to Kansas.
Neither national officers nor heads of
local organizations desire to face
criminal prosecutions and prison SEN
tences for violation of the Kansas law.
In consequence railroad men are to-
day expected to stay on the job in this
state. They will take their wage trou-
bles before the court of industrial re-
lations as soon as operation of the
railroads has been restored to private
ownership.
In conferences today with Governor
Allen and members of the. court of in
dustrial relations. A. H. Martin. of
North Topeka, spoke for the railroad
workers. Martin sought to feel the
pulse of the court and state officials
relative to the Kansas strike attitude.
He was assured the state would en-
force the law.
kilograms were sent to Martin
Tuesday night by national officers of
the brotherhood of maintenance of
way. Acting under instructions from
his national officers, Martin spent the
morning with the governor and court
members. He was very frank in his
discussion of the situation.
No Desire To Violate Law.
There is no desire. Martin assured
state officials, to violate the Kansas
Jaw. MaTlln nlfnSelI does not wish 10
lace n prison sentence for merely
communicating the strike orders to
Kansas workers. Nor are the officers
in Detroit anxious to face extradition
and trial in Kansas courts on charges
of violating the criminal section of the
statutes affecting strikes. Martin is
president of local No. 1907 and his
organization includes most of the
maintenance of way workers on the
Union Pacific and Rock Island iV
Kansas. This afternoon Martin will
confer with union officials of other
roads.
Governor Allen made clear to Mar
tin that. the state is ready to proceed
under the new law as soon as a strike
order is issued affecting workers in
this state. Any move to tie up or
restrict production or TRANSPORTATION
of essentials will call for arrest of Of
ficials and all persons conspiring to
stop operations, the governor told the
union official.
Victory for New Law
Because of government control of
railroads at this time the new court
of Industrial relations cannot take up
the wage dispute of the unions. As a
result of today's conferences. tho,
there is belief in state house depart
ments that strike orders will not be is
sued for Kansas workers. This course
will in very large degree be a dis
lAnCI victory IOT the new law, state or
ficials feel, altho test of the act will
be delayed until later. In event the
strike order is not made operative in
this state. applications will be filed
with the labor court for increases in
wages as soon as control and operation
of the railroads is returned to private
owners. The roads will probably be
released from government control
March !.
Martins Good Impression.
Martin promised Governor Allen he
would communicate at once with ma
tional officials in Detroit. He also
stated he would confer with other
union officers in this state. His frank,
candid manner of discussing the s.tua-
tion and his apparent desire to side
step trouble fer himself and his as
sociates, was commented upon favora-
bly, by the governor. Martin advised
the governor that at present r Rock
Island maintenance of way men re-
ccived "a cents an hour while the
Union Pacific pays 81 cents an hour.
The union demand is for so cents an
hour.
While Martin was in conference
with state officials. Richard j. Hop
kins. attorney general, prepared an
opinion to be submitted to local union
officials and members. He asserted
the state would prosecute criminally
all persons seeking to direct a strike
in violation of the Kansas law. These
prosecutions viii be in district courts
of the state. His opinion was given in
response to a number of requt tsts from
union officials.