The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1922-07-18
CARS To MOVE:
POTATOES WILL
Be AVA|LA {
Railroad, Ready to Get
Crop to Market Despite
Strike; Will Recruit
Men.

"We will move the potato crop if it
takes the United States army to help
US do it"
That was fhe encouraging message
brought to Caldwell business men and
to Canyon county shippers Saturday
by E. c. Manson, division superintend-
ent of the Oregon Short Line. To-
gether with w. T. Ennis, trainmaster,
Mr.. Manson came to Caldwell to ex-
plain the relationship between the
shipments strike, railroad service and
the public and to make an appeal for
cooperation in obtaining men to take
up this phase of railroading.
The Union Pacific system, in keep
ing with a policy adopted by other
railroads, is bending every effort to
replace strikers with new men. Men
who can take care of the class of work
covered are not plentiful but the com
panies expect to be able to fill the va
Gated positions with young men who
want to get into railroading as life
work.
This strike was not against the rail-
roads," Mr.. Manson pointed out. THE
railroad companies have absolutely
nothing to do with determining what
men shall be paid. The strike is really
directed against the government. For
that reason, so far as the railroads are
concerned, taking those positions is
in no way filling scab's role" These
shipment walked out in much the
same way that parties to law suit
would discard courts ruling and
start out to settle it themselves. At
least that is what this particular union
has DONE"
Similar help recruiting drives are
being conducted over the entire south
ern part of Idaho this week. Already
many men have been recruited from
this district, most of them going east
to Pocatello and other points for work
The railroad company guarantees
that these jobs will be permanent, ac-
cording to Mr.. Manson. Regardless
of how the strike terminates, these men
will be kept on the job if they care
to stay, Mr.. Manson said.
Those who heard Mr.. Manson's talk
concluded that when striking railroad
men refused to go back to work il
compliance with the companies ulti
matum, the strike became at once !
lockout as well.
Mr.. Manson admitted frankly
that the situation was serious
one, particularly with the heavy
crop movement impending. So far
as the railroads are concerned, he
said, every effort is to be made
to keep trains rolling. And re-
frigerator cars will not be any
more difficult to obtain than ordin-
arily because they are owned, OPP
Grated and kept in repair by the
Pacific Fruit Express, subsidiary
company. whose shops have not
been affected by the strike. t
In southwestern Idaho, the strik
situation is not particularly acute, Nj
Manson said. Already enough me
have been employed at Nampa, undi
competent direction, to keep the nece.
sary work there running SMOOTH
and all repairs made. Five car repa
men, at Nampa, he related, had nj
walked out because they had nevt
: been officially notified to strike, III
result of local difference with unio
leaders. And two experienced for'
men, together with some experience
men already enlisted, had made
nucleus that could get along witho'
great difficulty.
II want you to realize that this is Il
public's battle just as much as IT
the fight of the railroads" Mr.. Mansc
said. 1.-THE public pays the wal
scales for those men. We don't, Ar
freight reductions compensating Il
order of the federal board were mat
simultaneously with the wage redu
ton.
"Wages are high enough" he poin
ed out. Gar men get 63 cents ;
hour under the new award and ! CT
make first class car man out of al
man with average intelligence in tv
weeks. Machinists, blacksmiths al
others of this class are paid 70 cen
per hour and the customary time al
half for over time. We have o
new man from Kuna in the shops
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