The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-26
STONE ASSERTS
ROADS WOULD
SMASH UNIONS
Declares That Execu-
tues EUoded Big
FiUe' Questions.

Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 26.-(By the
Associated Press.) - Warren s
Stone, president of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers, in
statement made public here to-
day, asserts that the brotherhoods
ARE fighting for their very exist
ence' and warned that if they are
destroyed radical labor organiza-
tions are sure to spring up to take
their places within a few years or
perhaps months"
Let US assure you, however
Mr.. Stone said, that this over
throw is a long way from an ac-
complished fact"
Mr.. Stone also asserted that the
most powerful force in deciding
this railroad controversy is the
force of public opinion and asked
if security in travel furnished by
experienced employees Of the broth
erhoods should not be preferred to
insecurity that would result if the
operation of trains is left to mex
perienced men,.
Mr.. Stone said the railroads with
characteristic cunning, have made
it appear that the brotherhoods
have precipitated the whole trou-
ble," and then reviews various
events leading up to the authori-
zation of the strike. Evasive an
swers, he said, were made by the
railroad executives to all queries
by the big five" railroad trans
portation organization chiefs con-
corning retention of various rules
and working conditions.
Roads Ignore Board.
The executives made it plain
that they were through with collec-
tive bargaining, except so far as
the railway wage board might be
useful in lending force and sane
ton to their designs. Informally
the air was filled with talk that
new is the time to smash the un-
IONS
The statement continued:
THE working railroader feels
that he deserves we'll from the pub
lie. The first principle of his re-
Iigion is that lives entrusted to his
keeping must be safe-guarded at
every hazard.
Before the public decides that
it wants to see railroad service
cheapened and this fine morale
wrecked, it should give some con-
sideration to consequences of such
a course.
Suppose the brotherhoods are
broken up The first result will be
a certain lowering of physical and
moral standards with inevitable
loss of life and property.
Next will come an inevitable re-
organization of the workers, not
along the lines of the old brother
hoods, but organization based on
the 'one big union principle;
welding the power of direct ac-
ton and stopping at nothing in the
furtherance of revolutionary politi-
cal designs. Such has always been
the reaction from unbridled bour-
bon domination.
We point to a long record OF
moderate and reasonable activity
on behalf of the just and progress
Siye measures. We remind you
that railroad strikes have been the
rarest form OF labor disturbances
/ Then we ask whether you want L
take the risks involved in our over
/ throw.
Let US assure you, however
that this overthrow is a long Wa.
frcm an accomplished fact. Ou
record of moderation and conciIi
alton in this matter is so clear
that we face the threatened strug
gle with good conscience and full
courage. We should be false Il
ourselves, our families and to tn,
public if we backed supinely dowI
and permitted a program of de
basement to go through withou
hindrance.
We are aware that this is tbs
worst possible time for d strike
Nothing makes a strike imminen
or possible but the arbitrary effor
of railroad executives to force i'm
possible conditions upon the work
er.
The public will not suffer more
(nor so much) as the railway mar
who has voted to strike. He has
nothing to gain by a victory and
everything to lose by defeat But
he will fight with renewed conf
dence because that his battle is
just and in the public interest"