The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-05-13

OF the road, ana Jney uSeu JillS VI
ganization to coerce and intmdate
the members of our organizations.
Probe to Fix Responsibility
after consultation with the eN-
ecutives of our organizations we were
instructed to come to Washington
to lay the facts before the Presi-
dent and the Congress. This we have
done with the results stated above.
No one has suggested that the men
deported from Harrison had violated
any law. All were responsible Off
cials of recognized labor organiza-
tions.
eve believe the investigation
promised by Senator Cummins will
fix responsibility for these un-Amer-
lean proceedings and will effectually
forestal a repetition Of the out
rage"
Real Facts of Controversy
The facts presented by the COM
mittee to President Harding and Sen
ator Cummins present such an ut
ter disregard for law on the part
of c. A. Phelan, receiver of the
Missouri & North Arkansas Rail-
road; deputy United States
marshal, a Federal judge, and
coterie of business men that they
form a black chapter in the indus
trial history Of the nation.
The road is an interstate line and
operates through the Ozark noun
tains in Southern Missouri and
Northern Arkansas, from Joplin,
Mo, to Helena, Ark, a distance Of
over 800 miles. It's shops and gen
eral offices are at Harrison, Ark,
and it has been in the hands of a
receiver since 1912.
Early ip January the receiver and
manager, c. A. Phelan, served notice
on the employees of a reduction of
wages, effective February /, and at
a conference of the employees this
proposition was rejected. Officials
of the employees organizations APP
Board, and on February 8 the board
ruled in this case that "no change
of any kind in the compensation
established by Decision No. 2 (the
wage award) shall be made except
by agreement between the parties
until the dispute is heard and OPP
portunity given the board to de-
eide" The receiver and manager
refused to suspend the wage reduc-
ton order pending a hearing of the
case by the board. In the mean
time the employees remained at work,
awaiting a final ruling of the board.
Six Hundred Quit Work
After hearing evidence in the case
the board, on February 81, failed to
decide the question in dispute, but,
according to the committee report,
created a new dispute, namely, the
business and reasonableness of pres
ent wages, but had failed to cause to
be restored wages fixed by decision
No. 2 of that board"
On February &c the engineers, fire
men, conductors, trainmen, telegraph
ers, train dispatchers and mainten-
ance of way employees, to the num-
Der of about 600. quit work in pro-
test against reduction in wages
in violation of the transportation act
and the decision of the Railroad La
Dor Board of February 8. Follow
ing the strike the receiver, with the
assistance of strikebreakers, operat-
ed few of the trains. Covering
this feature, the committees report
to the President and Senator Cum
Minis says:
Public sentiment in support of
the employees who had withdrawn
from the service was in evidence
until claim was made by the rail
road through the press and other
wise, that traffic was being inter
rupted due to wires being cut, wa
ter pumps damaged, water tanks
drained, distractions being placed on
the tracks, switches opened and fl
nally on the night of March 16 two
bridges burned, both small and di-
rectly affecting but a very small
mileage of the road
Changing Public Sentiment
During the same period a bridge
burned on the Missouri Pacific Rail
road and in same section of the
country from fire presumed to have
been dropped from ash pans of en-
gines. Abundant evidence is avail
able to show that the engine on
Train No POP on the Missouri &
North Arkansas, when leaving Har-
rison, Ark, on the night of the
10th Of March, was dropping fire
freely from ash pan.
There were no serious accidents
from the above causes, which may
be accounted for by a statement
claimed to have been made by Re-
ceiver and General Manager Phelan
to a representative of the st. Louis
Post Dispatch and appearing in an
issue of that paper under date of
April 10, which reads in part as
follows:
Public sentiment did not appear
to be on our side and it became
necessary to arouse the citizens
to the seriousness of these de-
predatiOns so we stopped Oper-
atiOns for few days to inn
press upon them what it meant
to be without a railroad and
to prevent serious accidents.
Protective League Gets Busy
A special session of the grand
jury was called and convened at
Harrison on March 81 to investigate
charges made against union Off
Gals and striking employees for re-
sponsibility of closing down the rail