The Connecticut labor news., 1923-02-02
Burlesque Hearing
(Continued from Page Four.)

mitted need of competent mechanics l? The reason Is because 1t is out to de- stroy the unions, no matter what the expense of that struggle to the pub lie. It wants to exercise unlimited autocracy in it's shops. That is fact which I intend to prove shortly.
 The New Haven road has stated that its own employees had no griev- ances. That statement will be amply disproved by the testimony of the chairman of the New Haven System Federation. The New Haven road has stated that the strike was a na- tiona one forced upon 1t by the unions. The records prove that the national strike was forced upon the unions in self defense by a minority group of the executives who wished to destroy the unions, and that the New Haven management was party of this group.
 Soon after the railroads were turn ed back to the private owners under the Transportation Act, the unions requested the establishment of na- tional boards of adjustment. as pro- vided for in the Transportation Act. These boards were to represent both parties, and were to eliminate as IHdHy ulSPutCS dS POSSlDAC Oy SAS ment before appealing to the Railroad Labor Board.
 On April 10, 1920, the committee of the Association of Railway Execu- tives, which was charged with the dealings with labor, reported in favor of establishing national boards of ad- justment Their report stated that if such boards were not established, the newly constituted Railroad Labor Board would be overwhelmed with minor disputes and would break down under the pressure. They said that such boards of adjustment were necessary to an avoidance of trouble.
 A minority of one on the commit tee, Gen. w. w. Atterbury, vice president of the Pennsylvania, report ed against the national board of ad- justment. General Atterbury was noted for his opposition to organized labor. His stand was that If the boards of adjustment were created, 1t would be necessary to go on dealing with organized labor ,and his dictum was, Make no contracts with the la bor organizations"
 The Association of Railway Execu- tives contained a majority in favor of the labor committees report, but 1t voted on a mileage basis rather than on the basis of one road, one vote. This turned the scales, so that with the vote of the Pennsylvania, General Atterbury's minority report was adopted Go to Al.
 At this, Carl Gray, chairman of the labor committee and president of the mittee and General Atterbury was ap-
 1,s -11 union minority of the executives ob- tained control of the labor policy of the railroads and ever since have been doing everything in their power to promote labor trouble so that they might have chance to destroy the unions.
 They overwhelmed the Labor Board with minor disputes and failed to follow out its mandates when orders were handed down. They put new shop rules into effect without the approval either of the unions or the Labor Board. They finally forced the unions into a position where they had to resist in order to maintain themselves in existence. If the unions had not struck, then every right would have been disregarded byl the autocratic group of managements-
 The New Haven is known to be closely affiliated with the Pennsyl- ] vania It has Loyalty carried out the order of Make no con tracts whatever with the labor or ganizations.' It is carrying out that order today, to the great inconven- fence and loss of the New England | public.
 In the face of the sound policy of a ] ajority of practical railroad execu- | tives in the face of proved inability l to give service with strikebreakers, 1 in the face of injustice to exper- fenced railroad shopmen, and in, the 1 face of the aroused public opinion of New England, the New Haven road l still does not dare disobey the Penn ] sylvania general. That is, 1 believe, the true explanation of the continued | the striking shopmen and rehabilitate its equipment.
 This raises the question, how long 1 will the nation permit it's carriers to be. governed by the whims of private dictators?
 Among those present as interested spectators were former Governor Republican State Chairman J. Henry Roraback, and a majority of the Senate and House. I. M. Orn- burn, secretary of the Connecticut Federation of Labor; John J. Egan, of the Machinists organization of Bridgeport, Senator Tone and large number of the striking railway shop crafts. Speaker Nickerson and Lieu tenant Governor Bingham sat with the committee all through the hear ing.
 After John C. Ready, president of the Railway System Federation, had submitted a statement which he re- quested be read into the minutes of the hearing Secretary Ornburn of the Connecticut Federation of Labor, re- Chairman DePeyster of the committee to inform him upon whose