Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-29
RAILWAY OFFICIALS
HELD IN CONTEMPT
Four of Southern Pacific Line
Charged in Labor Row
With Employees.

BY the Associated Press
HOUSTON. Tex. January 23.-Four
high officials of the Southern Pacific
Railroad were held in contempt OF
court in a decision handed down here
today by Federal Judge j. c. Hutche-
son. jr.. in which the executives are
charged with violating an injunction is
sued August 3. 1927. forbidding them
10 interfere with organization activities
Of employees.
Those cited were II. NJ Lull. eXecu.
tive vice president; 9. S. Waid vice
president and general manager: J. G.,
Tartan, assistant TO Mr.. Waii. c1S w
3. Mann. superintendent of the FL PaSo
division
Judge Hutcheson's decision ended a
series of hearings which began in July,
1927. The officials were ordered 10 APP
pear in Judge Hutcheson's court fol
sentence at 10 am. next Friday.
Actions Attacked.
The decision handed down by Judge
Hutchinson follows:
1t appears TO the court after full
consideration that the defendants.
Texas & New Orleans Railway Co
subsidiary of the Southern Pacific,
IL M Luli, VI. >. "dlU. d ". i al II
and w. R. Mann have violated the
courts injunction issued August g. 1927
and have interfered with. influenced
and. coerced. with respect TO their free
and untrammelled right of selecting or
designating their representatives, some
Of the plaintiffs ana some of the class
represented by them"
Litigation in the case began after
months of negotiation between officials
of the railroad and representatives OF
the Brotherhood o! Railway Clerks
who were unable TO agree on an In
creased wage scale. The Federal Arbi-
tration Board failed TO effect a COM
promise
The brotherhood. through its repre-
sentative. John W. Harper. of San An
tonic, began a fight for an Injunction
against the railroad under the 1925 rail-
way labor act.
Al hearings last August when the in
junction was granted. it was alleged
that railroad officials we're actively en-
gagged In promoting a rival union, the
Association of Railway Clerks.
Petition Presented.
In September the brotherhood pre-
sented a petition alleging that the IN
junction had been violated and askin.
that four Southern Pacific officials be
held in contempt
1t was alleged that the head OF the as
ISOLATION was being kept on the COM
pany payroll while performing no actual
services, that letters of the association
we're being sent through company mail
channels that the railroad maintained
an Office for the association in the
Grand Central Station at Houston and
that officials Of the brotherhood had
had their pass privileges removed.
j. II. Tailichet. attorney for the
Southern Pacific, countered with the
assertion that secret ballot had re-
Yealed that the association represented
a Majority Of the clerks and that under
he laY the railroad had recognized the
organization. Lists OF authorization fol-
the association were presented 10 the
court. but the brotherhood claimed the
rolls included men who were not work
ing for the Southern Pacific. tanitOrA
and personal Office workers, such as pri-
yate secretaries. who were not eligible
The case had been taken under adj
sisemcnt by Judge Hutchinson after sew
eral hearings and i1i!ng OF affidagits.