The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-05
UNIONS and ST.
OFFICERS DON'T
AGREE ON LISTS
Unions Charge That Officials
Attempt to MisIead Public.
Say Figures on Men at Work
Are Deceptive Under Analysis.
NOT CONFINED TO CRAFTSMEN
Executive Committee Meets
Twice Daily at Labor Hall.
Strikers Report They Have
Been Threatened by Officials.
Unions Charge That Officials
Attempt to MisIead Public.
Say Figures on Men at Work
Are Deceptive Under Analysis.
NOT CONFINED TO CRAFTSMEN
Executive Committee Meets
Twice Daily at Labor Hall.
Strikers Report They Have
Been Threatened by Officials.

Accounts of railroad officials and
of the executive committee of the
striking shop crafts, continue to- dis
agree as to the effectiveness of the
strike in the Topeka shops.
In regard to the discrepancy in fig
ures and the charge made by union
men that the official figures are mis-
leading, no statement Could be secured
this afternoon from Santa Fe officials
other than that those figures apply
to men actually working in the shops,
and do not include clerks" 1t was in
the vice president. does not care to
classify the figures of men reporting
for work in the shops.
Union Issues an Official Statement.
The following official union state
ment was issued this afternoon by F.
W. Rausch, chairman of the publicity
committee of the shop crafts:
Two regular sessions of the execu-
tive committee of the striking shop
crafts are being held daily, one at 10
o clock in the morning, and the other
at o'clock in the afternoon.
Reports of the observers at the
shops on the number of men who are
reporting for work, are submitted at
each session of the committee. To-
day, however, no reports from this
ment. Union men tell us, however,
that not more than 140 members OF
the shop crafts went to work this
morning Not all of these craft work
ers are members of the unions.
Attention is again called to the fact
that the announcement from railroad
officials of the number of men report
ing for work this morning and Mon
day morning, does not specify whether
they are foremen, maintenance of way
employees, timekeepers or clerks.
IF the figures of the railroad off
ciaIs are analyzed they will prove to
be misleading, because they indicate
that the entire number of men report
striking shop crafts, whereas, as
matter of fact, this not the case.
Charge Attempt ut Misleading.
"Mr Purcell is again attempting
to mislead the public in stating that
there are 1,349 men at work in the
shops today. His statement of 1,34s
men is not as conservative as the
statement that he made last week that
only rs per cent of the men would
go out. The fact is that regardless OF
the number he quotes as working, does
not have any material effect on the
six shop crafts, as there are hundreds
of laborers, timekeeperS and other en-
ployes who do not come under the
Jurisdiction of the six shop crafts
and who are employed in and around
that men who have had no experience
at all are being promoted to do me-
chanics' work with the promise OF re-
ceiYing mechanics pay. Mr.. Purcell
may have 1,349 men on the shop pay
roll, but they are not mechanics or
helpers, even to the amount of his pre-
dicted 25 per cent.
Protest To Musicians Union.
"a message was received from the
assistant general chairman OF the
boilermakers at San Berna rdino' Cal.,
stating that SO per cent of the shop
crafts are still out, and the Pacific
Fruit Express company employees
went out S5 per cent at $3.50 o'clock
Tuesday afternoon.
at was reported that Walter Vogel.
Charles Haag and Roy Pinney, ma
chinists, who are members of the mu-
sicians' union, are working In the
shops here. The secretary OF the ex-
ecutive committee of the crafts was
instructed to file a protest with the
musicians union requesting them TO
take action on these men,
THE statement was made today to
the executive committee by Charles
Magee, boiIermaker, who formerly
worked in the shops. that while stand
ing on the Union Pacific right-of-way
at the Santa Fe junction in North To-
peka and talking with a Rock Island
brakeman who had gone ahead to flag
his train. that Mr.. Deveny. superia-
tendent of the shops, came up to him
and wanted to know what in hell he
was doing there. Mr.. Deveny ordered
him tosget off the. right of way. Ma
gee told him he would get off when he
was thru talking with the brakeman.
Mr.. Deveny said he would see that ne
got off before he got ready. He then
went and sent two policemen down
but Mr. Magee left berore they ar
rived. as he did not want to start any
trouble.
Joe Schlegel. a boy 1s years old,
who was employed as a clerk in the
motive power building. and who had
application on file for an apprentice
ship in the machine shops. was re-
quested to report for work this morn
ing. On refusing to do SO he was in
formed by Mr.. w c. Brown. chief
clerk to Mechanical Superintendent /.
c. Hicks, that he either would have to
go to work in the shops or leave the
service of the company. This boy did
not want to go to work under tho
prevailing conditions in the shops ana
is the whole support of a mother and
sister. He reported to the executive
committee. Action was taken to the
effect that Mr.. Brown would be inter-
viewed on the proposition"
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