Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-10-16
SAN IA f SHOP
GRAF rs ARE To
CONTINUE STRIKE
Executive Board of System
Federation Meets Here
and Answers Recent Let
ter of A. G. Wells

The strike of the shop crafts on
the Santa Fe system will be made
las effective as is legally posi-
bic" The federation officials.
however, will continue their offer
for a conrerence. These were the
two main decisions reached yes
terday afternoon by the executive
board of the Santa Fe System
Federation, No. 81, which met
in Albuquerque and will continue
its deliberations today. the
federation covers the entire Santa
Fe system.
Members of the executive board
held the meeting in Albuquerq le
for the express purpose Of consid-
erine the recent letter from A.
O. Wells. vice president of the
Santa Fe company, in which he
declined to confer with federation
officials relative to the strike Sit
uation.
Executive board members who
are in the city attending the
meeting to consider the recent
letter from Mr.. Wells are: A. "a.
Norris, chairman, Kansas CITY
#. l.. Personett, Kansas City; u
]. Bollotte, Topeka, Kansas; D.
l.. McPake, San Bernardino, Call
fornia; j. w. Biffin and e. b.
Swope, Albuquerque.
Reply TO Wells.
The decision of the executive
committee as expressed in It's
letter to Mr.. Wells, follows:
Albuquerque. n. NJ,
October Is, 1922.
"Mr. A. G.. Wells,
Vice president, A. T. & J. j.
Railway System,
Chicago, Ill.
Dear Sir: Your letter of the
srd inst, addressed to Mr.. Nor
ris, declining to confer With rim
and Mr.. Personett upon the
strike situation as 1t exists on
YOUR railway system, is lefore
the executive board of the Santa
Fe system Federation OF Shop
Crafts.
We are sorry you have assumed
such an uncompromising attitude,
not only on account of the ad-
verse effect the controversy is
having upon the earnings of your
railroad. but because of the great
inconvenience ana annoyance be-
ing caused the travelling and ship
ming public who have heretofore
enjoyed good service from the
Santa Fe, of which we, as your
employees, were just as proud as
the management.
You saw that in so far as the
company is concerned the strike
has long since been settled. rms
may be true, but the fact remains
that 80 per cent of your passen-
ger trains are and have been fol
some time running late, frequently
many hours off of schedule; that
shippers from one end of the line
to the other are bitterly complain
ing as to their failure to receive
freight, days and often severa
weeks overdue; and that they are
constantly complaining not only
to your office, but to Washington
as well, relative to their inability
to secure cars for loading.
Were 1t not for hopeless
policy now being pursued by a
number of different railroads,
having for it's purpose the de-
struction of these organizations
we feel that we could get to-
rether with you and that these
deplorable conditions would be
speedily overcome. We do not
however, charge you. Mr.. Wells,
with the originating of this I'M
friendly and un-American policy.
because we have generally found
you fair in the treatment or your
employees in the past, but we be-
lieve that some force beyond you
Is responsible for this condition
Under the circumstances there
Is nothing else for us to do but
10 continue to make the strike as
effective as is legally possible
and we are hereby giving you
notice of our intention to do so;
but nevertheless, we want to as
sure you that we are ready and
willing at any time to sit down
10 a conference table with you in
an earnest endeavor to amicably
adjust these difficulties, and in
the meantime, as we presume you
know, many of our members are
finding employment upon the
numerous other railroads through
put the country who are signing
agreements and arranging just
Ind reasonable settlements with
heir employees.
Assuring you Of our warmest
personal regards, we remain,
(Signed) EXECUTIVE BOARD,
SYSTEM FEDERATION NO. 81 ,
BY AL. Ii. NORRIS,
q iYsf11 q ~