Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-04-18
HOWARD ADDRESSES
MAMMOTH AUDIENCE
Three Union Grand Chiefs and
Attorney Speak Sunday
ASK ONLY JUSTICE
Review History of the A., B. &
A. Case and Cite Laws Broken


that has ever packed the Crane
Opera House, as large as the one
which heard Glenn E. Plumb severa
weeks ago, William Schley Howard
of Decatur, C. J. Golf, Val Fitzpat.
rick and J. M. Larrissey put the case
Of the Atlanta, Birmingham and At.
lantic strikers before the public OF
Fitzgerald and the surrounding Sec
ton.
The house began to fill about 2 o.
clock and by 3 o'clock, the hour at
which the speaking was scheduled to
start, not a single vacant seat was
left in the house, orchestra to gallery.
One half the gallery was opened to
negroes the other half being reserved
for overflow from the first floor.
Late corners stood in the aisles and
in the back of the house. Despite
the size of the crowd it was unusual
ly quiet and orderly The accompan-
iment of crying infants that usually
is heard at a public speaking was alb
sent, the babies either being left at
home or behaving unusually we'll
Mayor Pittman Presides
Mayor ]. L. Pittman presided at
the meeting and introduced C. J. Golf
vice president of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Fireman and Engine
men, as first speaker of the after
noon. Mr.. Golf reviewed the wage
controversy in detail from December
10Th, when first announcement of the
proposed wage cut was made, until
the present time.
"The employees of the road went
along with the operators as long as
the operators went along with the
law" said Mr. Golf, 'but when it at
last became evident that the operators
would no longer follow the course
prescribed by law, the employees re-
fused to become party to having the
laws disregarded and over ridden,
and withdrew from the service" de-
clared Mr. Golf.
After short talk in which he de
clared his own belief in the justice of
the csams of the strikers, Mayor
Pittman introduced William Schley
Howard, former congressman from
the Fifth District of Georgia, and at
present representing the A., B. & A.
strikers III the United States District
court
Col. Howard spoke for more than
an hour on the law involved in the
case, speaking in practical terms and
laying the case in a clear cut manner
before his hearers. Col. Howard is
a strong speaker and held the in
terest of the crowd from first to last
He reviewed the development of con-
gressional effort to avoid strikes and
tying up of interstate commerce from
1888 to the Transportation Act of
1920. He described the way in which
the Atlanta, Birmingham and Attain
tic had avoided or disregarded every
law that had been passed for the pur-
pose Ct averting strikes. The Erd-
man Act, the Newlands Act, the
Transportation Act had all been
thrown in the discard by the reilroad
The speaker denounced the rail-
roads for their insincerity in gaining
rate increases approximating thirty
three per cent on the grounds that it
would insure maintaining wages
which had been increased twenty per
cent, and now attempting to cut the
wages leaving the rates the highest
they have been in the history of the
world. Col Howard concluded his
speech in thunder of applause.
Wages Must Equal Rates
Val Fitzpatrick, vice president Of
the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men, and executive in charge of the
strike was the third speaker. Mr..
Fitzpatrick declared that the men
would be willing to accept pre-war
wages if those wages were proceeded
by pre-war freight and passenger
rates. But the men most certainly
do not intend to see the railroads
stick the public with enormous rates
and break down the wages of labor
as well.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick charged gross in
efficiency in the operation of the A.,
3 & A. and declared that huge sums
of money could be saved in other
ways than by redhcng wages. He
seemed to make a strong impression
on his hearers.
]. M. Larrissey, vice-president of
the Order of Railway Conductors
concluded the program of the after
noon. Mr.. Larrisscy was bitter in
accommodation of what he termed "the
militaristic tactics of Col. Bugg" Mr..
Larrissey spoke briefly of the history