The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-08-02
Reply to AtterbUrv
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terest the address made by w. w
Atterbury. Vice-P President Of thelPenn
sylvania Railroad, at Indianapolis and
in fairness to the thousands of red
blooded liberty-loving American citi
zens, who believe in justice, 1 do not
believe his statements should go I'M
challenged
He said, Our problem began during
the war. Government control, super
imposed an organization upon US
which settled for us problems that
we should have settled amongst our.
selves" Had 1t not been for the
autocratic and dictatorial attitude of
the Pennsylvania management, prior
to Federal control, when they continu-
ally refused the shop craft employees
the privilege of forming organizations
approved by a majority, 1t would not
have been necessary for the United
State Government to have seen to II
that the Pennsylvania Railroad en-
ployes were permitted to enjoy the
rights and privileges provided for in
the Constitution Of the United States
and which the Pennsylvania manage
ment is again seeking to take away.
Speaking of Ballots
Although Mr.. Atterbury permitted
his general managers to effect with
them, adjustments involving hundreds
Of thousands OF follars of the Govern
ment's money during Federal control
he now says he never believed the
committee OF System Federation 90
represented the employees and in
speaking OF the ballot which was
spbmitted to and participated in by
the maintenance Of way and signal
men, he said that; System Fedora
ton No. 90 had the same opportunity,
but refused to go along and instructed
the men not to vote. II they had had
the majority Of the men behind them
they would have gone along on the
ballot, Just as the maintenance of
way employees and signalmen did
Is not the fact that 800 Of the EN-.
ployes Of the shop crafts needed the
recommendation Of the officers of
System Federation 90 and refused to
vote the company's ballot in 1921, the
best evidence in the world that this
committee was truly representative Of
a majority Of such employes7
Disregard of Decision
The results which Mr.. Atterbury
says were secured in the late so
called election were secured only
after two years of continued viola.
ton Of the transportation act and
disregard Of the Labor Boards decis-
ion. during which time a strike took
place. Thousands of the original
employees affected are refusing TO re-
turn to work and are, Therefore, not
included as among those having par
ticipated In this election, so that the
last vote was cast by strike breakers,
a large majority of whom have only
been in the service for a short time,
and therefore are either trying TO pro-
tect the continuity Of their employ
ment or do not expect to remain in
the service and have little or no In
terest in the future II is also sixnif-
cant that many Of this class even re-
fused TO vote until threatened with
hatued tp~the polls in taxicabs. Does
this seem like voluntary coopera-
ton" on thu part Of the employer
Crusading Minority
Is not the attitude of the Penn.
Fylvanin Railroad management and
the 1919 OF the original shop craft
employees who are in collision with
them that OF a "czusading minority
which Is trying 10 ride "roughshod"
ever tho 800 who. under the trans
portation act. have the right TO deal
with the management in whatever
manner and through whatever orea-
niZations such employees may select
Mr. Atterbury also charges some
people evidently the Labor Board
with trying TO SOW seeds Of discord
and therefore make impossible of ac-
complishment what the Pennsylvania
management Is trying to do. Is II
not clearly the duty Of the Labor
Board "a governmental body to con-
denim the Pennsylvania management
for its continued violations Of the
transportation act and the consti-
tutional rights Of the employees? The
officials of this railroad have had
such free-handed methods In the past
that apparently Mr.. Atterbury would
have the board condone the railroads
violations Of the law and have It
Join hands with him in subduing the
striking employees. Did not Chair
man Hooper with his OUTLAW" reso-
luton Of July 3. 1922, and President
Harding and Attorney General
Daugherty with their famous" in
junction do enough to help crush the
employees back to slavery and wipe
out their organizations7 What more
does Mr. Atterbury want7
Libertyloving, red-blooded Amer
lean citizens will not submit peace
fully to such invasion Of their con-
stitutional rights, and VIII th g r
Mr.. Atterbury wants to believe It or
not, his autocratic crusading is sure
to fail and Justice and fair dealing
must ultimately triumph.
N. P. GOOD,
President System No. 90,
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