The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-04-07
cOLORED RAILWAY
employees FIGHT
SEPARATE UNION.
Sleeping and Dining Car Em-
ployes' Union Seeks to Block
Secession.
MOVE STYLED TRAITORoUs
Leaders Say Men Will Not Get
Full Benefit Under Plan
Now Proposed.

Colored sleeping and dining car en-
ployes Of the railroads running into
the Twin Cities who are united into
the Sleeping and Dining Car Em-
ployes Union will make a determined
effort to prevent the withdrawal of
the Great Northern employees from the
union by further appeal to the men
next Tuesday, r. S. Harris, president,
announced last night.
'We do not believe that the men
fully realize just what they are CIV
ing up by consenting to form this
separate union," Mr.. Harris said.
"The present union was formed to Sc
cure wages and working conditions
that the men were unable to get by
individual bargaining with their re-
spective roads. Now that the union
has been formed, has functioned sue
cessfully and has been recognized as
a bargaining party by the Labor
Board and the roads, it is nothing
short Of suicide to return to the old
method of Individual bargaining with
the individual roads. That method
has proved itself Ineffective. ..a.r~ss
Say Leaders to Blame.
"Then, too, the fact that the Great
Northern is active in helping to form
this separate union shows that it rec-
ognizes that the real strength of the
men is in our organization. 1t wants
a separate "Great Northern" union
because it knows that such an organ
ization will never be able to demand
and secure the conditions which our
present union can secure"
Mr.. Harris expressed the belief
that the men themselves did not lean
strongly toward the separate union
idea, but that the present agitation
was due to the activity of few dis
gruntled leaders whom he character
lied as being "more concerned with
their standing with the company than
with the welfare of the men,"
Concessions Dangerous.
w. r. Donovan, chairman of the
union, pointed out the danger in the
concessions that the company was
asking the men to make when they
Joined the separate union.
"The most significant clause in the
agreement desired by the railroad is
that one which specifies that the en-
ploye shall not become member Of
any other such organization while in
the employ of the railroad" said Mr..
Donovan. "Thus the men sacrifice
any chance of joining any organiza-
ton which has as it's purpose the bet
terment of fellow employees on other
roads. The men who sign this agree
ment place themselves wholly in the
hands of the company, and if the
company sees fit to disregard the
union the men must either accept or
quit. They viii have no Independent
bargaining power like the present
union to fall back upon"
"Suggestions Treason"
Mr.. Donovan was Of the opinion
that every loyal colored man will re-
sent any suggestions made "either by
individuals or corporations that the
colored employees Of the Great North
ern railway or any other railway
should refrain from joining or par
ticipating in any organization or
movement which has for its purpose
the betterment of themselves and the
race" In a characteristic statement
the chairman said:
"Such a suggestion is an infringe
ment upon personal liberty and is an
insult to these men. Suggestions of
this nature coming from colored
man or group of colored men smack
of disloyalty, and may rightly be
termed traitorous."
r. C. Shane, 934 Gaultier street, is
general secretary of the union sue
ceeding Clarence H. Roper. At the
meeting of the union in Welcome hall
next Tuesday at 2:30 p. M, the mat
ter Of the separate union will come
UP for discussion.