The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-21

than before the strike. They are a
good class of workmen and they Will
be retained in Itheif places as long as
they can acceptably fill them. We
have received petitions from towns
people at various points asking if it
is not possible to settle the strike. To
those the reply has been made that
the men left our service of their own
accord and they are free to come back
at any time they desire provided there
are vacancies, and provided, always.
that they have not been guilty of con-
duet that would make them unde-
sirable as employees.
1--WE recognize that many of them
are good steady men-men of faml-
lies and good citizens-but they have
been misled by their leaders. We are
sorry for such--sorry for their faml-
lies-but they are men and they must
assume the responsibility for their
acts.
Not Opposed p Unions.
"And now 1 wish to say few words
as to the attitude of the Santa Fe
toward the unions. We are not op-
posed to them as unions as Is evil
denced by our agreements extending
over many years with the four tram
brotherhoods. Unfortunately all unions
are not constituted alike, but l can
definitely say that il the telegraphs'
union in 1900 and the shopmen
unions in 1904 had been governed by
the same spirit that has actuated the
four train brotherhoods there would
have been no strikes on our road, and
had the leaders of the shopmen recog-
nized that economic laws must ultl-
mately govern there would have been
no shipments strike this year.
unfortunately men, and especially
the younger men, lose sight of every
thing except the power they think they
have by reason of being Joined to-
gether. They have the feeling that if
they only stick together they can COM
pei any wage or any condition to pc
accepted by their emplOyers-and
some of them delude themselves into
thinking they are-really worth more
than they are receiving and that any
action they may take is justified to
get it. But, in the long run, the ques-
ton of ultimate cost must be taken
into account.
81 wish to say further that the
Santa Fe wants it's employees to re-
ceive the highest wage possible, and
it has always paid as high wages as
IFS neighbors. Before government
10 per cent or more of our pay roll as
! bonuses for extra effort. We have al
ways tried to treat our employees fair
ly, and we believe they nave been rea-
sonably happy and centented-
Lessons Learned.
"As to the lessons to be learned
from our experience:
FIRST: Employees must always
| be treated with consideration. l.
| should not take the pressure of union
ism to make US recognize this. The
feeling that he has no way of making
| his grievances known except thru the
union is responsible for many good
! man adhering to them. Every emf
ploye should have access ~ his super
Tor, not as a right to be enforced, but
as means for mutual benefit.
| SECOND: The Santa Fe will al
ways live up to the spirit of its con-
| tractual agreements and will insist on
| the organizations with which it has
such agreements doing the same. If a
difference of opinion as to the mean
| ing of the agreements arises, it is will
| ing to leave the question to the labor
| board or any other properly consti-
tuted authority.
THIRD: The promises of the Santa
| Fe to its employees, as in the matter
| ployes and as to its new employees
will be faithfully adhered to.
FOURTH: The Santa Fe will fight
| to the limit of it's means if it is COM
| PEELED to do so.
IT wish to thank you all for the way
| in which you have rallied to the sup
port of the company and to assure you
| that the company appreciates what
you have done; and 1 hope that the
| outcome will make you prouder than
| ever that you belong to the Santa Fe
| family. There is nothing like trouble
to bring families closer together, and
can only say that I am glad to be
j one of you