The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-23
CHARGES RAILWAY
WANTS OPEN SHOP
Discussions Before Railroad Labor
Board Yesterday.
(ey The Associated Press.)

CHICAGO, March 22.-Charges that
the Pennsylvania railway was fight
ing for the open shop and that the
road maintained spy system before
the war, We're the subjects of heated
all day discussion before the labor
boar dtoday.
Brigadier General w. w. Atterbury,
vice president Of the Pennsylvania
charged the unions with attempting 70
force the closed shop, and Frank P.
Walsh. labor attorney. retaliated with
declarations that the Pennsylvania
had maintained spies and arsenals to
take care of labor troubles. The whole
days testimony revolved about Gen.
Atterbury's stand that he could nego-
tiate agreements applicable to his own
employees but that no just and reason
able agreements applicable to the en-
tire country could be written by any
body. He also maintained the right
of the minority to a voice. and charged
the unions with assuming to represent
all employees and using coercion in at
tempting to make them join the
union.
Attorney Walsh opened his charges
of a spy system on the Pennsylvania
with statement that 100000 had
been spent in 1914 on the roads police
system. General Atterbury explained
that this amount covered all protec-
tive measures, such as crossing watch
men and similar employees. Under
questioning, however he admitted
that the road did maintai-- spy sys-
fam hut OIL IA ,af
how much had been spent on that de-
partment.
When Mr.. Walsh asked the witness if
the road did not have little arsenals at
various points where you kept guns and
revolvers," Chairman r. NJ. Barton halt
ed the examination on the ground that
it was getting away from the inquiry
ordered by the board. Several board
members joined in the subsequent dis
cussion but o. A Wharton, labor mem
Der, finally insisted that the examina-
ton continue
Mr.. Walsh then explained that the
rule on discrimination against any emr
ploye because of union affliation was
the most important rule there is" His
questions, he said, were intended to
show that situation might arise and
had arisen on the Pennsylvania where
disputes between employees and the road
terbury's statement thta all the men on
the road had grown up together.
A closed shop, either union or non
union, was denounced by the general
who said a worker should have TIE
right to be, or not to be, union man.
Taking up General Atterbury's minor
ity reports as chairman of the Railway
Executives Labor committee, in whicsh
he stood against national boards of ad-
justment, Mr.. Walsh opened series of
questions on the statements of the mi
nority group. General Atterbury de-
clared national boards would lead to
naturalization and syndiccalism and
cited William y. Foster as "a syndicalist
and A. r. T.. leader representative of
the class by which the railroads We're
menaced.
The genera la1so read from a declara-
ito nof principles by the Cleveland cham
Der of commerce and signed among 9TH
ers by Warren S. Stone, president of
the engineers, and w. G. Lee, head of
the trainmen. This declaration said
freedom of contract should never be
impaired" and declared employees and
employer should negotiate agreements
for their guidance. This principle, Cen
eral Atterbury said. was the same one
on which the railroads took their stand.