The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-04
RAILWAY employees
ASK SQUARE DEAL
Presents Statement for the consid-
Grafton of the Public and
Business Men.

Deep water Lodge no. 7O2, United
brotherhood of Maintenance OF Way
Employees and Railway Shop Iaborers
in regular meeting Thursday, Dec. 1.
1921, unanimously adopts and presents
the following to the public for con-
sideration. relative to the local Cham
Der OF Commerce and railway en-
ployes;
In the first place we wish TO ask
II there are members Of your local that
would be- willing to take the place OF
section laborer or bridgeman. and be
contented or satisfied to undertake to
raise your family under the same con-
ditions, which the largest per cent OF
these men are working today, at the
same time being the lowest paid class
OF men employed by the railroads.
We fell that II the public could be
properly informed, and the various
crafts Of railway employees were given
the due consideration they deserve you
would find that each craft is an es-
sentiai factor In the operation Of our
great transportation systems, and to
DO fair with the employees, the public,
and themselves. the Chamber OF Com
merce Of Pensacola, ministers, individ-
uals. Or any body Of men should have
sought the truth concerning the pro-
posed or threatened railroad strike be-
fore attempting to pass resolutions in
the halls or commenting on the sub
1sct IN the pulpits. or on the streets.
This they failed to do. or else they
would have given the employees a
greater consideration.
Mr.. Chamber OF Commerce, II you
wished TO assist in averting the
throatened strike by passing resolu-
lions in an effort to sway .1ublic opin-
ion against nationwide strike why
did you not base your resolutions on
the cause, or foundation Of the pend
Ing strike. why did you jump on the
employees.
The increase IN freight and passen-
ger rates were granted the railroads
to offset the increase in wages. which
had been granted. based on the num-
Der OF men at work at that time, after
which a large per cent OF men were
laid Off and a ~ per cent reduction
In wages July 1st with threat of
another. wage reduction, and a hard
fight by the railroads to abolish all
rules and working conditions, which
eventually would have destroyed our
unions and enslaved the workers. But
listen, while this slashing at the en-
ployes was going at a high rate of
speed, there was no move being made
to relieve the public Of high freight
and passenger rates, but instead con-
tentions were continually being made
BY the railway executives that these
rates must be maintained to save the
transportation systems from the junk
pile. and at the same time the public
was being fed on false propaganda.
that something must be done. Please
tell AS where the public's relief was
coming from under such conditions.
We would like to say that the en-
ployes thoroughly understood the con-
ditiona likely to be brought about by
a nationwide strike but they were no
more agitating, or pleased with these
conditions than the United States were
when we entered the world war, but
there. were certain rights to defend.
ana II seemed very necessary to take
steps 10 defend them, so it was with
the railroad employees.
Now Mr.. Chamber of Commerce.
who r. this man Bingham, who in an
article published on November 22nd,
presumes to shoulder the whole re-
.sponsibility for the Chamber OF Com
merco Ia passing resolutions that at
fects the business men OF our city, and
the lhborlng class as we'll? Who is
the Chamber OF Commerce IL 1t Is not
composed or business men for the pur-
pose az endeavoring to build UP and
advance the best interests OF our city
as a whole7 Is 1t not fact Mr.. Mem
Der. that your business depends en-
tirely upon the laboring class? Is it |
also not a fact that the very founda-
ton nof every business or institution |
10 built and maintained by labor, and !
IL Il not fact that every dollar paid !
in our religious, educational financial |
and business institutions Is the product !
% some laborer and not Of the idle |
ciass7 why then. were you, as a |
member OF the Chamber Of Commerce,
90 unmindful and unthoughtful, as to |
allow one man to introduce and pass
resolutions against the very foundation /
oe your business (the laboring mani {? /
Would Mr.. Bingham have been gen !
arouB enough to have shouldered the /
responsibility for resolutions passed /
Thereby absolving Wall street and the
other business men OF the local
branch) had he been in business that
depended on the laboring class for
suppOrt7 No thousand times mol i
he would have given you one of the
three answers given by the other BUSH
ness men OF our city when you an !.
proach them with the question: "Are !
you member 2" Which Is Il am NOT
a member OF the Chamber of Com
merce": II am member but never
attend the meetings, or Il am a mem- +
ber.-but did not concur IN the reso-
lutionss had nothing to do with them
but foughtahard against them" So (
considering the above answer received
from the average business man when
approached on the subject, it Is well
that we. accept Mr.. Binghams con-
fesaion for there Is no ma olso = ]