Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-23
HAD SPIES,
} ATTERBURY ADMITS
ON W|TNESSSTAND
Road Had ArsenaIs of Guns and
RevoIvers, He Also Testifies
to Labor Board.
Union COERCION is CHARGED

Chicago. March 23.-W w. After
hurry, president of the Pennsylvania
svstem, admitted under cross-examina-
ton yesterday before the Railroad La
bor Board that his road had main
tained a spy system before the war. and
that IL had little arsenals of guns and
revolvers at various points.
The testimony yesterday centered on
MIR. Atterbury's claim that he could
negotiate agreements with his own en-
ployes. but that nobody could negotiate
fair national agreement.
Frank p Walsh. attorney for the
brotherhoods. charged in connection
with the railroads general treatment OF
its employees. that prior to Federal con-
troll the Pennsylvania maintained spy
system He said 100000 had been
spent by the roads police organization
IN 1914 wbile explaining that this
amount covered all protective meas
ures, MIR Atterbury admitted that a spy
system was maintained up to the time
I left in 1917. but the labor people had
one az the same time" he added.
Asked II the road did not have little
arsenals AT various points where you
kept guns and revolvers, the witness
replied in the Affirmative.
Board interrupted at this point. declar-
ing that the subject did not come under
the matters before the board.
Mr Atterbury then charged that the
unions were using coercion to establish
the closed shop. lie read a statement
from the official Bulletin of the railway
employees department of the American
Federation of Labor. which asserted
that no shop craft employe not mem
her of the union could exercise his
seniority rights. The statement fol-
lows:
information for the employees of the
siN mechanical shop crafts:
That there viii he no seniority pro-
vision for or positions provided for or
rctaiued on the seniority roster Of the
~N shop crafts. AT the various points TO
tny other than employees and members
~ the international organizations aflili-
atcd with the railway employees depart
myut who negotiated and signed the
national agreement which provided for
seniority rights as per Rule 81 OF said
agreement and only for these who are
r.prescbtcd by the railway employees
department. y. II. sullivan.
Acting Secretary Of Blair County Lo-
cal Federation. Altoona. Pa"
hat IS clearly an attempt 10 force
Tho men into the unions. said Mr.. At
t.rhury. 4 am against the closed shop
either tho closed union shop or closed
t.pr- union shop.
Mr. Walsh n turn made an effort 70
show that at least one Pennsylvania
Ia! way Official recently advocated
even defamation OF all labor unions"
iu connection with proposed wage re-
dlctions He read a copy of a letter
supposed 70 have been written by l. W.
Gecr General Manager Of the South
western region az the Pennsylvania
.r,- i. 81 Louis Mo. under date of
March 1cI92l. The letter follows;
To Al Supervisory Employees:
I'm compliance with the decision
reached at a meeting Of all General
Superintendents in - Louis on March
3. il Is desired that you acquaIf your
-e,ves with tho attitude Of all employees
c.ativc 70 the proposed reduction N
vases scheduled for some time during
the month of April 1921. L is desireo
that you ascertain fully as possible the
ceiling of The employees in regards 70
his matter reporting 10 your superior