New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-16
Erie Railroad
Farms Osat Its
Repair Service
chops and lsountIlsouse al
Marion, Ohio, Are Turned
Over to Local Company !;
Mem offered Same Jobs
FEDERAL Control Avoided
/ shor Board Threatens 10
intervene il The Policy
Is Generally Adopte d

MARION. Ohio, Aug. 15--The Rail-
- Service Company, a corporation
.rcanized by local manufacturers.
s.rters and business men, to-day took
.-es operation of the Erie Railroad
.hons and round house here. The serv-
;,s company leased the buildings and
asu;nn,ent of the railroad company and
las contracted to do all repair and
othsr work heretofore done by en-
a,ovees of the railroad.
Employment was offered to all en-
rlovees of the Erie company in the
service this morning, each man to take
b;s former position and receive the
ssme pay as that received from the
risroad company. According to an
pouncement by w. A. Baldwin, man
.eer of the Ohio region of the rail-
road, the employees of the new operat-
,nr concern will be assured of fair
srcatment.
Since the Railroad Service Company
Is not a common carrier" it was
pointed out here that it undoubtedly
would not be subject to supervision
By the Railroad Labor Board and would
not come under the provisions of the
Eseh-Cummins railroad act.
Action of Employees Unknown
No statement was isued tonight, as
% the number of Erie EMPLOYEES who
lad accepted employment with the op-
Grating company. Work was being
done at the shops, however, with R. v.
Blocker, master mechanic under the
Erie system, acting as shop manager.
The situation Is somewhat clouded
By the curtailsnent of the number of
shop employees following enforcement
on August 7 Of orders issued by the
Erie company calling for resumption
Of the ten-hour day, cessation of pay
ment Of overtime for Sunday work and
submission to physical examination
By each employee. Until recently a
force OF from 40 to 500 men has been
maintained.
Railroad officials have admitted that
number of men have quit because of
dislike for new working conditions,
but statement issued to-day over the
signatures of the presidents of the
shop crafts unions declared the men
had been sent home" in each case
where they had refused to report for
work on Sunday at the straight rate
Of pay and where they refused to I'M
dergo the prescribed physical exam
nations.
Local Interest Sought
In announcing esta blishment of the
new system, the first of it's kind in the
country, the Erie Company, declared
that it had resulted from a belief that
focal conditions can best be appre-
dsted and most intelligently met by
the knowledge and interest of local
supervision and support" Much of the
maintenance and repair work of the
Erie Company heretofore has been
done under contract, in territory COW
cred by the line, an announcement
said.
Tonight a number of men were
walking around the round house and
shop buildings, apparently acting as
guards. Feeling, which was aroused
when the Erie Company announced its
new working conditions apparently
had not abated following to-day's an
nouncement, but there was no outward
Indication that trouble was probable.
CHICAGO, Aug. 15.-Announcement
st Marion, Ohio, that the Erie Railroad
had leased its shops and roundhousc
there to local operatings company
which will handle the roads repair
work, may bring intervention by the
United States Railway Labor Board if
there is any evidence of a concerted
plan on the part of the roads to follow
the practice generally, a member of the
board said to-day.
Board to Oppose Evasion
II 1t is done to such an extent as to
appear to be an evasion of the trans
portation act" the board member said
this board no doubt will take some
action."
The Railway Service Company, formed
Marion to operate the leased shops
would not be subject to the board S
jurisdiction under the transportation
sct, it was pointed out. Hence, mem
Oers Of the board said, its employees
would not come under the boards wage
anu rules orders. If the roads follow
me leasing plan generally, it will have
ses effect, member Of the board said
y removing the shop crafts from the
oenefts Of the Esch- Curerains act. He
savanced the opinion that the board
would have the right to consider such 8
s'ep violation q the law.