Fitzgerald leader. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1921-1921, 1921-03-08
Employees And Operators Present
Their Contentious About Strike
"A. 3, & A.. Win Begin Operating
Trains Soon As New Men I
Can Be Recruited
Operators Assert Unions Are
Willing To Break Road
To Safe Avarice

ATLANTA, March 8. (By Tele
graph -B. L. Bugg, Receiver, stated
today while as yet no trains had /, beef
started out of their, terminals since til.
strike order took effect on SATURDAY.
at noon, arrangements are being mad,
in an orderly manner to resume ser.
vice.
| The same procedure will be fol
lowed in employing men for servic,
on the road as is done under norma
conditions when additional employee:
are required. Some Of the require rsi
sm1aents are that references shall b.
furnished showing previous employ.
ment, character Of service, etc. An,
other is that all applicants for engine
and train service shall pass satisfac.
tory examinations on train rules. ply.
steal, 'colors test. Enginnen in ad-
dition are required to give satisfactory
evidence of knowledge of the care
and operation of locomotive.
just as fast as employees can be re-
cruited to meet the conditions as des-
cribed above train service will be re-
sumeds beginning with passenger,
mail and express, it being the purpose
to provide for this necessary service
just as quickly as possible.
Tried to Conform Law
The Receiver appreciates the facts
that the greatest burden of the strike
is falling upon the public. The Re-
ceiver, both in his present capacity
and formerly as president of the rail-
way, has endeavored to conform in
every way to orderly and lawful pro-
ceedure and met the employees and
their National Union leaders in six
different conferences. He also met
their contentious in their three differ
Labor Board, which was the tribunal
OF their own choice, and continued to
meet them there until that Board in
its decision of FEBRUARY 21st declared
itself without jurisdiction on the is
sues as presented.
This declaration followed the posi-
ton taken by the Union representa-
tives before the board that the board
was without jurisdiction and asked it
to dismiss the case.
At no time either in conference or
the hearings before the Labor Board
have the employees or their union rep
resentatives ever met the issue square
ly or suggested the possibility of ne
gotiation of more acceptable reduc-
ton than that proposed, notwithstand-
ing the fact they have never question
ed but have admitted freely the con-
tentlons of the railroad of its inability
to meet its operating expenses hv one
million dollars year.
Seventeen Points of Difference
The public cannot be deceived as
to these essential facts: First, that the
labor unions are demanding an impos-
sibility. Second, that the strike has
been called to compel the road TO pay
more than it can by any possibility
pay. ~
Third, that the labor unions
admitted the inability of the road az
earn operating expenses by one 20 :
lion dollars a year under the v tz-E
scale they are demanding. te
Fourth, that this wage scale na
cost of living brought about by az
conditions, best
Fifth, that this wage scale is ior
highest ever known in the histora ich
the world areei
Sixth, that the wartime cost ofe.u
ing has been materially reduced -
Seventh, that other wage earner. ~
gether with farmers, merchants, Veni
manufacturers have already met NJ
newt conditions Hal
Eighth, that the strike vote
taken a month before the happen
of the event, because of which, g
strike is said to have been called NJ
Ninth, Men who have met in
iar,, who b.v. ~ -on,aot;. ston