Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-08-15
SOUTHERN RVY.
IS TO RECRUIT
new SHOPMEN
President Harrison Declares
Road Cannot Further
Jeopardize Its Interest
HAS FULFILLED DUTY
Having Safeguarded Rights of Old
Men, Must Now Look Out For
Those Who Come to It's Assistance

After carrying it's policy of good
will and Cancellation to the point of
jeopardizing its vital interests the
Southern Railway company late We'd
nesdav afternoon served notice that
it would engage at once in the effort
to recruit new men to supply the
places abandoned by the men OF the
Federated Shop crafts. President
Harrison thus spoke for the company:
every effort has been made so to
operate our property that our men
could honorably return to work. Every
effort has been made to settle with
our men, we have gone to the eX-
tent of Offering the terms that they
had previously agreed to accept. We
have thus held out every reasonable
inducement, without result.
1--WE must now turn to employing
others, for the road must be run; we
must give those we employ protec-
tion, for, it may be that those we
have up to this time protected by
keeping their jobs open may now turn
against us, even to an attempt to pre-
vent others from working.
Call is now made upon every en-
ployee, upon every patron, Of this
company, and upon every citizen
along its lines, to rally to the sup
port of the road that has served you
and protect your own interest in the
maintenance of transportation. With
your help we can run the road, and
we pledge all the resources of the COM
pany to that end. If it means war
to run the Southern Railway, then
let us have it now-not later"
With this formal statement Of pol
icy, whose clarity and militancy can
not be mistaken, the Southern Rail
way company takes its stand along
side the $50 executives of the Amerl-
can Association who have resolved
10 make a desperate effort to keep
their lines in operation without the
help of the old Federated shop craft
members. Having fulfilled its duty
by its former employees, as Presl-
dent Harrison pointed out in a pre-
vious statement, it is believed that
the Southern will feel peculiar de
gree IF moral responsibility toward
all the men who may respond to It's
call for help whether new or old,
and very great effort will be made
in the future to protect every right
which such men may acquire, ON
cials are said to believe that they
have gone to the limits of safety IN
the effort to safeguard the seniority
and other rights of the old men, but
now that the die had been cast, per-
force, they are to concern themselves
solely with the welfare OF the men
who may undertake in the future 10
operate the trains.
1t is significant that the Harrison
statement does not take tn" form OF
an ultimatum, and no mention IS
made of time limit for taking back
the strikers with rights unimpalred
and this is taken as an indication that
the Southern has abandoned all hope
of friendly cooperation with the Old
Shop Crafts organization. AT tlrst
the Southern will see what can be
done locally, but a little later a mum.
Der of men, especially machlmsts OF
experience, will probably be import
ed. Counting helpers around ten thou-
sand men left the service OF the
Southern wheh the strike was called
A number of men connected with
the executive staff of the Southern
are out of the city, and the determrnaa'
ton to embark upon new policy IS
believed to have been the result OF
rather sudden decision. The gravity
of events in the National field was
doubtless the determining factor
Some of the executive staff were un
der the impression during the fore
noon that no drastic step would DC
taken for a day or so, and there, was
stir in the general office about
o'clock when newspaper men were
communicated with by telehone.
And it was Immediately observed
that it was a war declaration, II II
must be war .,
At the Office of George R. Bud
din. division superintendent OF the
Southern Railway, with oiiiceS II
Alexandria, no Instructions had peer
received up to noon today to employ
strikebreakers to fill the places OF
the 300 odd shopmen who are on
strike.
Alexandria Union leaders whel
seen today stated that the men mac
no idea of returning to work untl
the entire strike situation Is set
| tied.