The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-02-01
RAILROAD MEN
MAKE PROTEST
Union Heads Strongly Against Sugges-
ton of Atterbury Regarding
Agreements

WASHINGTON, Feb. l. President
Wilson was asked tonight by representa-
! tives of seven labor unions to investigate
the statement of Brighten. w. w. After.
| hurry, of the Pennsylvania lines. before the
railway labor board that the railroads of
the country must have wage readiust-
mCnts or be IN danger Of bankruptcy, and
u the statement were found true, to place
( the matter before congress and ask that
| body to enact remedial legislation imrned.
, lately.
The union leaders. however. in their tel
egrams To the president making the re-
quest, declared they did not believe the
roads to be IN the financial condition ont
lined by Gen. ,Atterbnry. They charged
that he had, by delivering What they
termed IAN Ultimitun to the labor board,
violated all decent prophecies. disre-
garded the Transportation act and iouted
existing agencies, such as the Interstate
/ commerce commission, and even congress
itself
Gen. Atterbuy's obvious policy the
telegram said, is to disrupt labor unions,
turn public opinion against the employees
and place wages on a pre-war basis so that
railway profits may be enhanced when
prosperity returns. The shipper would
have TO pay increased rates and the la
borer would be exploited, if Gen. After
bury had his way.
The telegram asks President Wilson TO
take immediate steps to have all the evil
dence IN the case presented to the Inter
state Commerce commission and says that
the union representatives were calling his
attention to the matter only because mo
stone should be left unturned to prevent
such a catastrophe as outlined by Gen.
Atterbury."
The union leaders declared that inves-
ugatloH of the management of the rail
roads have revealed the following
That the transportation system of the
country is absolutely controlled by the
New York banking group centering around
the house of Morgan.
That the -roup is treating economic
service to the public and the welfare Of
the employees as secondary TO the selfish
purpose of squeezing shippers and farm
ers and of destroying legitimate organiza-
tions of their employees.
That Investigations made by govern
mental agencies will show that railroads
have encouraged mefficiency and inflated
costs
That the roads have deliberately at
tempted to prevent employees from show
ing records of efficiency under the national
agreements and in many cases have I'M
dcrmined morale.
That, despite claims as to- the restora-
ton of efficiency under private owner
ship. the roads have found it to their IN
terest temporarily to operate lnchcently
and uneconomCaIy.
THAT they are attempting to discrcdit
organized labor by charging this lack of
economy to the organizations of their en-
plOyes.
'.rhat they have revived the old fnan-
cial practices which prevailed previous to
the passage Of the Clayton act in 1914.
That they have contracted with con
Germs controlled by them for the repair
of, hundreds of locomotives and tens OF
OF freight cars at excessive
prices.
THAT. in the above outlined practices;
they have consumed to initiate the cost OF
railroad operation and esnecIallE
to charge all the organization and lack OF +
economy to governmental policies naug- /
urated under your administration.