-. - 6
THE BEE: OMAHA, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. ifor.
pi
worn Statement off Court Reporter 00 Street
WAS
Proceedings
Owing to the numerous mis
"eading statements that have
been made concerning the points
at issue in the street railway
jtrike, and to correct any mis
apprehension that may exist as
,0 what the union has demanded
and what reply the company has
.nade to these demands, the
street railway company presents
herewith a stenographic report
jf the conference between Presi
lent Wattles and the committee
of the union.
This conference was held last
Wednesday) and was the only
conference of the kind held.
The shorthand report of the
proceedings was, made by Court
iteporter Frank J. Sutecliff e.who
.vas employed by the union men
to report the conference held be
tween the president of the com
pany and a union committee dur
ing the controversy that arose
two and a half years ago. The
report presents all that was said
by. either side. -"The
conference lasted two
hours and a half. y
Report .of meeting between a commit
tee, of men of the union employee of
the Omaha & Council Bluffs Street Rail
way company and Qurdon W. Wattles
helif at the office of Mr. Wattles In the
L'nlted 8tates National bank -building, on
Wednesday afternoon, September 15, 1909
Committee:
j "W. Olllan.
W. . Boeln.
P. i. Llnahan.
' W. H. Poncelow,
. M. X Kinney,
. H. R. Neleon,
C H. Lear.
' Mr. Wattles: "You have presented an
agreement here which you desire to have
signed by the street railway company
with the union.' '
"It Is not the first time that a similar
agreement has been presented to the of
ficers of the company to be signed by
them lth tbls union, so that this Is not
. new question. It has been threshed out
several times before, but It seems neces-
aary to thresh It out again and to let von
' know exactly what the company proposes
iu qo in regard to this or any other agree-
" union employes of this
tompanjr. ' -
"When the union was first organised In
this city, about ten years ago, among the
stieel railroad men, I don't know as any
of you men were present, but I think some
of you were, the jnen who joined the
union, about fifteen la number, were dis
charged or were suspended by the com
pany. They asked for a hearing before
the board of directors, which was granted,
,4d hn they came before the board of
directors Mr. Murphy waa then presi
dent of the company they asked that the
national organiser, Mr. Wilson I believe
his name was, who waa here organising
the union, should be admitted to the
room and should be allowed to speak on
the subject of the union, aa the men at
thai time did not feel fully competent to
sescnoe execuy what the union was go
ing to do In connection with the street
railroad employes.
"Mr. Wilson cams before the board and
wtiat he said was taken down and made
a matter of record.
"He said that the purpose of organ-
iking the union among the street railroad
men In Omaha was not to stir up aay
Strife, or conflict either among the em
ployes of the company or with the officers
of the company; that they sought to or
.ganis a union among the employes of
this company for the betterment of the
conditions vf the employes and for their
mutual uplifting; that all over the coun
try.- In msny of the principal cities. In
nearly, a!) of the principal cltlea where
of
unions existed among the street railway
employes, the nonunion men and union
men worked side by side In perfect har
mony, that there was no conflict between
union men and nonunion men In all these
cities where unions existed; that they
asked no different treatment of the union
men who should Join the union it was
the Omaha Street railway at that time
than the Other employes received; that
they would auk no contract with this
company that would require the company
In any manner to treat with the union
employes In a different or other manner
than they treated with all of their em
ployes. "With that understanding and agree
ment with the national organiser, Mr.
Wilson, the opposition of the company to
the organisation of the union was with
drawn and the men who had been dis
charged or suspended were reinstated and
sent back to work and the union went on
with its organization, securing quite a
number of men to join lb
"At that time we were waited on by a
large number of our old employes who had
been solicited to Joint the union, but who
had not desired to do so, and we were
asked the question point blank, as to what
the policy of this company was going to be
regarding its nonunion employes whether
or not we were going to sign a contract
with the union, whether or not we were
going to treat with the union employes In
a different manner than we did with them,
whether or not they would ever be placed
In jeopardy of losing their positions or los
ing any of their rights as workmen for this
company If they did not Join the union.
"We said to these men very frankly that
this company had an agreement with the
organizer, who was a national officer of
the association, that no contract would' be
required or asked of this company."
Mr. Ltnahan: "Mr. Wattles, ' that Is not
one of the questions that the committee
have come up here to discuss with you."
Mr. Wattles: "If you will let me get
through, Mr. Llnahan, we can get this In
better form. I will soon be through with
this statement."
Mr. Llnahan: "We have a new contract
and you are going to these original ques
tions. We have a new contract that we
want to discuss."
Mr. Wattles: "I will get through with
this pretty soon and we will coma right
down to the present time, so that there
will not be any misunderstanding about It.
"We can do better If ona talks at a time,
and I will give you all ample time to talk
and opportunity to talk on any part of
this subject you want before we are
through. But as you have raised the ques
tion yourselves about whether this com
pany was going to sign a contract with the
union, why, I want to answer that ques
tion, and I am answering It." .
' Mr. Llnahan: 'That was the Instruction
we had when we came here, not to go into
past history, but to talk on the present
trouble. We are not here to discuss old
agreements."
Mr. Wattles: "Yes. I am here to tell you
whether or not we are going to sign a con
tract with the union and in telling you
that I am stating some of the past history
In order that you may understand the po
sition we take.
"Now, aa 1 was saying, our employes
asked us what our position waa going to
be and we stated to them that our agree
ment waa with the union, and they were
promised that we would never place our
selves in a position where they should not
receive exactly the same treatment as
arty other employee or where they would
be put in jeopardy of losing their posi
tions. Our promise was given them on the
strength of the agreement that we had.
"Now this matter came up. aa you know,
two years ago last spring and waa threshed
out At that time a contract' similar to
the one that is now presented, was pre
sented to us a little different In form, but
similar In substance and the company re
fused to sign It upon the same grounds
nave stated here, and the question
of whether or not the union street railway
men were Justified in calling a strike at
that , time waa raised, and we were asked
to appear before a body of union men and
our case, with the unricniaruliu
that these union men were going to say.
after they had heard the evidence, whether
or not the position of the men was justi
fied, or whether or not thev vera tuatl-
fled in striking at that time
"My answer to Mr. Yetacr. who came to
me with thla proposition, waa thia: That
when I knew I was right I had no fear
of appearing before Ood. man or devil, and
stating wnat my position was and that I
would appear before any body of men anil
would go before the union itself and Mate
what my position waa. And the result
was that these men came here to this very
room and sat here and heard the evidence
that waa Introduced at that time and pro-
auoeo, ana one of their findings, when
they announced it in writing, reads aa fol
lows:
" 'rive In the matter of the written con
tract demanded on the part of your org
niMiion we una mat inasmuch aa an
agreement was entered Into at the time of
the formation of your local union to the
effect that the company would not be re
quired to sign such contract, we therefore
recommend that said contract be with
drawn and that the grievances therein con
tained be presented aa such.'
''Signed by McDonald and Guye and Pol
Ian."
Mr, Llnahan:, "Can I aay a word now?'
ar
the Only1 Meeting Between President
Wattles and the Committee.
Mr. Wattles: "No, not yet; not Just
yet.
"The verdict of your own" union men I'
that this company has a contract with the
national officers of this association t,hat
you represent that they shall not Ian
contract In any way asking us and reask
ing us not only to violate that agreement
but to violate our solemn obligation and
word with our nonunion men. and I am
here to say, first, last and forever, and
you ran take It back and say to your men
as enthusk-ally as I say It, that we are
not going to sign this or any other con
tract with the local union existing among
our employes."
Mr. Llnahan: "May I have a word
now?"
Mr. Wattles: "T am not quite through
yet, sir. I will be through In a moment,
and then will hear you one at a time.
"So much for the contract part of It."
Mr. Glllan: "We are glad you have
stated your position."
Mr. Wattles: "Now regarding the af
fairs of the men, some of which are
touched on In this proposed contract here:
I have said to our men. Individually and
collectively, at all times, and t repeat It
to you here now. There is no matter that
Is so small nor no matter that Is so large
that concerns the employes of this street
railway company of which 1 am president,
that I won't at any and all times talk
with you about and consider with you and
advise with you; and not onjy that, but
I will do as I have done In the past I
will not only advise with the men In our
employ, regardless of whether they are
union men or not, but when 1 find that
a Just and fair grievance exists of any
sort or kind, against this company, If it
Is within my power I will correct It. Now
that goes to every man In the employ of
this company. You men are here today, a
committee of you. Some of you have been
here as Individuals. I have not seen as
much of you as 1 would like to have seen,
nor of the other employes of this com
pany. They have come in here and have
said to me this, or that, or the other thing,
and they have never gone out without a
courteous reply and without fair treat
ment, no matter what their complaint
was, whether It was a personal one to
themselves or whether It was Something
that pertained to the whole management
of this property It has alwa had fair
and honeat and open treatment from me
and they will always get It, and they
have always left here satisfied. And
the surprising thing to me. gentle
men, about this whole revival that is go
ing on here. In which the officers of this
company are held up to you as bad men,
as men that are not Inclined to be fair
and right, the surprising thing to me is
that aome of you men that sit and hear
that talk do not resent It to the limit.
"I could tell you men of things that
have happened In this very room, hot
only with union men but nonunion men,
that would make you blush ' for shame
that you had men In your association
that would hear the officers of this com
pany maligned in any way and not stand
up and deny it. .
."They have come here in their per
sonal troubles and they never went away
empty handed not one of them. They
have come to ask favors of all and every
kind. Every one of them was granted
with pleasure. Why? Because I have
been a laboring man myself. I have been
a poor man myself. I know every step
of the ladder from absolute and abject
poverty right all the way up along the
line. I have worked by the day. I
have worked for smaller pay than you
men are getting today. I have done ev
erything that you have done. I have
aaved and economized and worked Sun
days and nlghta and all the time to bet
ter my condition as I have gone through
life, and so when I come and hear the
stories of you men and your troublea.
they appeal to me; they put me back to
the time when I used to go out and have
to dig and work along as you men are
working, and I sympathise with every
ona of you; and If you have never tested
that sympathy, come and test It is my
Invitation. Inatead of holding meetings
down here plotting against your employ
ers, try to see If you can disrupt this
situation. You ought to be passing re
solutions commending the men that you
have got and the Institution that you are
working for.
Now I have wandered from the sub
ject a little bit, but I have opened the
gate here to yeu and I repeat. If there
la anything written down here that you
want to talk to m about and want to
know what the position of the company Is
going to be regarding it, I am here to
tell you; I am hero to meet you fairly
and honestly and discuss with you aa
men. I want to know If you have got
any real troublea among your men, and
If you have, to help you adjust them.
Now If you want to meet me on that
basis the meet log is open for you to talk
as long and as much ss you want to."
Mr. Llnahan: "Mr. Wattles, you have
covered one point clearly, and the words
that you have uaed show that you are
very obstinate In regard re signing any
contract.
The words that yeu yourself have
used clearly show that. Now, Inasmuch
aa you do not desire to sign a contract
such aa the employes of this company
have asked of you, are you willing to
arbitrate the whole of the grievances be
fore three disinterested persons, the com
pany naming one, the organisation which
we represent naming the other, and the
Controversy o
two thus selected naming the thlnl. Are
you willing to do that? Is that not fair?"
Mr. Wattles: "Are you through?"
Mr. Llnahan: "Yes, sir."
Mr. Wattles: "I will answer that ques
tion. There are some things In this world
thai you cannot arbitrate. One of them
Is, you cannot arbitrate whether you are
going to keep yuur word or not. You
cannot arbitrate w net her you are going
to wipe yourselves out of existence or
not. That Is another thing that you can
not arbitrate. There are questions that
are Involved In the whole controversy as
you call It, that we cannot and do not
and will not under any circumstances arbi
trate. Why? Because our solemn word
and agreement has been given to certain
of our employes; for Instance, regarding
the signing of a contract or the execution
of a. contract, or the entering Into a con
tract. Are we going to arbitrate the
question of whether or not we will keep
our word with these men? Never. There
s re other questions Involved In this con
tract that we cannot arbitrate. The ques
tion of tho waxes that you propose Is
raised here. Would It be In your Interest
supposing a board of arbitration should
say that we should pay you men wages
that would bankrupt this company?
Would It be proper and right for the of
ficers of this company to permit that sort
of a condition to come up here? You
would destroy the very power to pay you
wages at all. And that Is a question that
we cannot arbitrate. There Is no question
here that any arbitration Is required con
cerning. "Let me ask you, Mr. Llnahan, a ques
tion." Mr. Llnahan: "Yes, sir."
Mr. Wattles t "Are you willing to arbi
trate the question of whether or not the
union should ex it In the city of Omaha
among our men r"
Mr. Llnahan: "Yes, sir."
Mr. Wattleat "You are7"
Mr. Llnahan: "Yes, sir."
Mr. Wattles: "You are willing to sub
mit that to arbitration?"
Mr. Llnahan; "Yes, sir; if you are will
ing to submit the other questions, we are
willing to submit that question to the
arbitration committee."
Mr. Wattles: "Aa to whether the union
shall disband V
Mr. Llnahan: "That is a question prob
ably over which we would have ho con
trol. This committee could not determine
what these six hundred men might desire
in regard to the union. We have not got
tho right to say that they would do this.
It would be a matter that we would have
to bring up before the men. But we have
got their ideas and their vote In regard
to these grievances, but we have not the
right to say that we will arbitrate the
matter of existence of the trade union;
that Is too broad a question for this com
mittee to take up."
M. Wattles: "While we are getting
things stirred up here, let us have
cigars."
Mr. Lear: "I would like to ask a
question. You stated that this agree
ment was signed by Mr. Wilson. That
agreement has been violated time and
time again In this city. Not by you, I
don't say, but by your other officers. It
has been violated right today. You agreed
that you would not lnterter with this
union in any way; that you would not
put anything In the way of yuur men or
ganizing. Right the other night you had
men down there standing and watching
the men and Intimidating the men from
going up to that meeting; standing there
for the purpose of Intimidation and noth
ing else; just to Intimidate the men and
keep them from attending that mating
of the organisation. Now another case:
Is there a man that goes down to your
office and Inquires for a Job that Is not
told that he should not Join the union?
Is there a man that goes down there to
apply for a job that la not told that? Is
he not told that? Doesn't he say, well,
remember, we have no use for you If
you Join the union, or words to that ef
fect? Your job Is no good to you if you
join the union. He Intimidates every man
that goes to that place every time. Anil
the man that does that la an understudy
of yours."
Mr. Wattles: "Now let me answer that
before we go further. That brings up a
.real question here. I have said and re
peated time and again- that there should
not be any Intimidation on the part of
the officers of this company toward any
of Its employes regarding whether they
belonged to the union or not or whether
they were going to join. I have said,
however, that you must not deny to the
Officers of the company the same priv
ileges that you claim for yourselves; that
Is. an officer of this company has a per
fect right to say to an employe of the
company, I would prefer that you don't
Join the union, but at the same time he
should say that If you do join the union
there will be no discrimination against
you. Now. Mr. Lear, you say that of
ficers of our company ",
Mr. Lear: "Yes, sir."
Mr. Wattles: "I have Intimidated the
men."
Mr. Lear: 'Yes sir."
Mr. Wattles: "I call for the names of
the men."
Mr. Lear: "Right there Is a communi
cation." Mr. Ltnahan: "There la a statement
from a young man that was called down
to the office yesterday or the day before
and matters bf this kind only help to
make things still worse. Here Is what
they said to him at the office. that they
would not recognise the union .and that
every man In case of a strike would be
out of a Job. that I was an agitator and
that the next time I was called down to
the office I would get my time; that I
was agitating around the barns."
Mr. Wattles: "Agitating around the
barns?"
Mr. Llnahan: "Yea. sir"
Mr. Wattles: "What la that man'a
name?"
Mr. Llnahan: 'His name la Sheean."
Mr. Wattles: "What is his first name?"
Mr. Llnahan: "M. J. Sheean."
Mr. Wattles: "Who said this to him?"
Mr Llnahan: ' It waa said to him down
to the office of the superintendent of
transportation."
Mr. Wattles: "Was It the superintendent
of transportation who was talking with
him?"
- Mr. Llnahan: "To the best of my knowl
edge I presume it was either one of the
superintendents. I am not In a position
to know. I Just got thla statement that
he was called In there."
A member of the committee: "Mr
Nash."
Mr. Llnahan: "And I believe hs was
sworn at, too."
Mr. Wattles: "Did he say he was sworn
at?"
Mr. Llnahan: "He didn't say."
Mr. Wattles: "I will call in Mr. Sheean
tomorrow. I will go to the bottom of this
matter. Theru is no excuse for any such
thing. And It you find, Mr. Llnahan. that
this mun was mistaken, and that he has
told an untruth In some way about thl.t
matter, you would say there was no
ground for the complaint, wouldn't you'.'"
Mr. Llnahan: "1 want the man to tell
the trum. 1 don't care who It hurts."
Mr. Wattles: "That Is right. That Is
what I want to gut at. The Instructions
of this company to all of the superinten
dents and to all of Its officers Is that no
discrimination must be made or shall be
made between men In our employ as to
whether they are union or not, and If any
discrimination is made we will Investigate
It and stop It
"Now, regarding the statement that men
have been stationed down here In front
of Labor temple of the union to intim
date the men. What are the names of
the men that stood down there?"
Mr. Lear: "It was your road officers.
There was a meeting last Monday after
noon and there was a man named Kelly
stood on one corner and Mr. Sheets atood
on the other corner."
Mr. Llnahan: "There was one man stood
on Fourteenth street corner and another
on Thirteenth street.
Mr. Wattles: "What were they saying to
tne men?
.Mr. Lear: "Nothing."
Mr. Wattles: "Then they were not In
timidating them, were they?"
Mr. Lear: "1 suppose not. But'' thev
were there. The men would come along
on their way to the meeting and see these
two men there and they didn't know
whether they would go up to the meeting
or not, because they were afraid that It
would be reported that they had been In
the union meeting."
Mr. Wattles: "Did they say anything
to these men?"
Mr. Lear: "Not that I know of. I spoke
to Mr. Sheets and said 'How are you, Mr.
Sheets, are you going to come up T "
Mr. Watties: "Do you object to the
officers of the company seeing the men
that go to the union meetings?"
Mr. Lear: "No, but we would rather
that they came up there."
Mr. Wattles: '"Would you object If I
would come down there and attend your
meetings at the Labor temple?"
Mr. Lear: "We would be glad to have
you come."
Mr. Bolen: "But this Idea of your men
being placed there was with the Idea that
the men would be afraid to go up there.
That Is the way I looked at It. And I
know lots of the men were afraid to come
up there because they were afraid some
body was watching them."
Mr. Wattles: "There Is no purpose or
Intention on the part of any of the offi
cers of the company to keep these men
from going there, or to Intimidate or
prevent any man from going up there.
No such purpose at all."
Mr. Poncelow: "How is that, Mr. Wat
tlen?" Mr. Wattles: ''I say there Is no inten
tion on the part of the officers of this
company to intimidate the men In any
way from Joining the Methodist church
or the union, or the Baptist church."
Mr. Poncelow: "You mean, there was
no Intention on the part of the men down
on the corners there to Intimidate the
men from coining up to the meeting?"
Mr. Wattles: "Yes, sir."
Mr. Ulllun: "I had quite an experience
myself a year ago last August. 1 had a
little accident at sixteenth and Harney.
I was going east. I had one of the little
open cars. I was going east and a Par if
car was going north, and there was a
construction car a work train ahead of
the Park passenger car, and the work
train was pretty close to it; and the work
train stopped to back In around the curb
at Sixteenth and Harney, and the Park
car came right upon the crossing, you
know."
Mr. Wattles: 'Yes, sir."
Mr. Olllan: "And they had on it a
couple of'loads of ii-! baie that they put
In asphalt put It under the asphalt tar
anil cement and broken stone and It was
right there, and they had dropped some
of It on the rail, and It was just like
grease on the broken rail, and they came
right up the track with the two loads,
and I could not stop my car bemuse I
had no sand or anything, and I Just barely
slid, and I put on the reverse and my
fender struck the olher trucks. He stop
pedklnd o' short right on the rrosslny,
on account of the other train. Well, my
car barked right away from It, but It
bent the fender up and I was suspended
that next day and the next day and I
lost two days, and the other man was
suspended and lost one day. and I was
absolutely not to blame: couldn't be pos
sibly n blame no wav."
Mr. Wattles: "When did this hsppen?"
Mr. Olllan: "It happened In August."
Mr. Wattles: "Last August?"
Mr. Olllan: "Yes. Mr." 1
Mr. Wsttles: "A year ago?"
Mr. Olllan: "I think it was a year ago
this August."
Mr. Wattles: "Did you bring your mat
ter up to me?"
Mr. Olllan: "No, I did not."
Mr. Wattles: "Did you take It up with
Mr. Smith, the general manager?"
Mr. Olllan: ""No, I did not take It up
with anybody."
Mr. Wattles: "You cannot expect to
have your grievances corrected if you do
not state them."
Mr. Olllan: "And furthermore, when I
went up there before this superintendent
of transportation, he says. I know you and
I have heard the talk that you have been
putting up to these men to join the union.
That Is the remark that he made. I told
him that I had always been a union man
and I was not ashamed of It. And so
that Is all there was to It. The first day
after the accident he had me down there
and the other man wasn't there, and the
next day he had him down there. He
talked It over and that Is all there was to
It, and he let me go back to work, but
I lost two days and the other man Inst
one. and it was an accident that it was
impossible for me to avoid. There was
no possible way for me to have saved that
car from that accident. I had no sand,
you know. It was one of those little light
open cars and It was a sudden accident
and It could not possibly be avoided and
there was no way to stop It"
Mr. Wattles: "Now, taking your slate
ment of the facta to be true, Just as you
nave reiaiea intra; veiling mat for granted
lei me aaa you a question: Ijo you
think that If you had coma ud to me and
made that statement, that you would have
lost any time or that you would have
been Inconvenienced In any way 7
A.: '"Why, 1 would not suppose so. I
would not suppose that I ought to have
done that. They are the men we are sup
posed to go before.
Mr. Wattles: "If any Injustice Is done
to you, you have always the privilege of
going to any officer of the company, all
the way up the line, to have It cor
rected."
Mr. Olllan: "I will remember that."
' Mr. Lear: "That Is very clear what
you say, but you must remember It Is
not very easy to catch you at all times,
and we would have to lose our time to
do It; we would have to lay off; we would
lose at least a day. If we came up here
to see you we would have to lose our
time."
Mr. Wattles: "You are not working all
the time?"
Mr. Lear: "There Is mighty little time
that we are not working. There was two
months this summer when I could not
possibly have gotten off to see anybody."
Mr. Wattles: "'There must be quite a
good deal of time when you are not at
work?"
Mr. Lear: "I work from a quarter
past eleven to a quarter past one and
then I lay off for dinner and then I go
on again a little after five at night."
Mr. Wattles: "You can alwaya get me
between those hours."
Mr. Lear: "Well, now, you have to
consider another thing: If I came up
here there would be at least two hours
gone."
Mr. Wattles: "Let me tell you a bet
ter way?"
Mr. Lear: "Yes. sir."
Mr. Wattles: , "You can write, can't
you? Why can't you write a letter?"
Mr. Lear: "Well, I might do that."
Mr. Wattles: "If you come to ms and
state a case that ahowa the company Is
in the wrong and that you are In the
right you will get Just treatment: there
would not be any question about that."
Mr. Lear: "And If you did not think
the company was In the wrong?"
Mr. Wattles: "As long' as you did not
state a Just cause of complaint then you
would have no cause of complaint."
Mr. Lear: "Well, sir,, don't you know
we never understood It that way. I
never understood that until we came up
here a few days ago. When we had any
grievance I always supposed we had to
go to the superintendent and that was as
far as we were able to go to have It
corrected. My understanding has always
been that way; that what we got from
the superintendent we had to take
whether It was right or wrong. We al
ways have understood that there was no
use In carrying It up further."
Mr. Wattles: "That is not the ease."
Mr. Lear: "It may not be the case,
but that has always been the under
stsndlng of the men."
Mr. Wattles: "It Is a misunderstanding."
Mr. Lear: "I don't know whether it Is a
miNiinderstandlng or not. The other day
a man was sent for from over In Iowa. I
don't know what his name Is, I think his
name is Albertson. This friend of his went
to the foreman; he knew they were short
of men, and he said he knew of a good,
honest, sober young fellow living in some
little town here over In Iowa that he would
like to get a position for him and Mr.
Knapp saya, why send for him by all
means; he says, we are short- and he came
here and went down to Mr. Nash. I think
It was, if I am not mistaken; and Mr.
Knapp telephoned the foreman that he wa
to nut this man on and the foreman went
down with him and Mr. Nash says, no;
he says. I don't want htm at all; I don t
want any of your kind; you are nothing
but a labor agitator. I don't know as
the man belonged to a union at the time,
and I don't know whether he was an
agitator or not."
Mr. Wattles: "What Is his name?"
Mr. Iear: "Albertson."
Mr. Wattles: "You don't know his first
name?"
Mr. I-ear: "No, sir; he works at Twenty
fourth and Vinton."
Mr. Wattles: "Now. let me get these
namra down before we go any further. Mi.
L'nahan. you gave me the name of Mr.
Sheean?"
Mr. Ltnahan: "Yes. sir.
Mr. Wattles: "What are his Initials?"
Mr. Llnahan: "M. J."
O: "And at what barn Is he?"
Mr. Llnahan: "Twenty-fourth and Vin
ton."
Q: "And this other man is Mr. Albert-
on?"
Mr. Lear: "Albertson."
Q.: "Twenty-fourth and Vinton?"
Mr. Lear: "Yes, sir."
Mr. Bolen: "There Is another case I want
to bring about this Mr. Slsnick. who used
to work for this company, and wants to
work for them again. He went down there
and had been a few years at work for the
ooinpany. He belonged to the union be
fore, and as no agitator nor anything
else. He Is a man that attends to his own
buflness. and he wanted to get back and
get a Job. Mr. Nash looked him up one
Ide and down the other, and he says,
Mr. Johnson will fix vou out. Mr. Johnson
fixed him up, and when he mas walking
out of there out of the room Mr. Nash
patted him on the back and said no more
union for you."
Mr. wattles: "Where Is that?"
Mr. Boien: "Twenty-fourth and Vinton."
Mr. Llnahan: "Mr. Wattles, we could re
cite so many of these cases It would be sui-
prlslng many other rases. But, really, we
are not here today for the purpose of dis
cussing those matters. Our Instruction
were to come ud here and try and discuss
the grievances as we have presented them
to you In writing, and as 1 see that you
have declined to arbitrate any of the griev
ances or to concede any of the grievances
as written to practically Ignore them all
If we cannot change your mind. I presume
that this committee, according to their In
structions, have pretty nsar fulfilled the
Instructions from your employes; and we
regret very much that you cannot see the
wisdom of taking hold of this thing In what
we conceive to be the proper light, and
coming to a better understanding with
your employes, getting closer to them;
and, as Individuals, you exn never get close
to them, because, regardless of what Vou
may think In your own heart, and. really,
I think that you are a good, kind-hearted
gentleman"
Mr. Wattles: "Thank you."
Mr. Llnahan: " But the subordinate of
ficialregardless of what you think or
what you may do has got the Inspiration
In his heart to knock and tear and under
mine to the very foundation the mas ho
Is In any way connected with an organisa
tion which Is trying to help his fellow-man.
That has been the disposition, and we re
gret It very much; we regret to have to
ay to you here this afternoon that we
n.ve pra.u, ann plenty er thorn, that A
criminations without number are belrutt Mtr
rled on against the members of j)jl;ion
2X8 of this city. Now, we regret that Very
much. And if there was any way of bring
ing about a good understanding, I want to
say thla, that there Is nobody would b
more desirous of doing; so than thla com)
mlttee. But taking the position that yoj
have taken, and ignoring all the demands
your men have made tk-at you oannot see
your way clear to signing any statement
to them, and that you cannot grant an ar
bitration of any of their demands, really
this committee would bs In no position to
do anything but go back and tell the true
facts.
"And If there was any- "war that you
could see your way clear to arbitrate this
matter. It would be to the benefit of th
employes, It would be to the benefit of the
company, and It would bs to the benefit
of the public at large. For I want to aay
to you, sir, that this matter has got to a
serious stage, and if diplomacy and good
Judgment la not used, that It will throw us
Into a place where probably we can never
get to the same relations that we ba4. Now,
I regret that very much; but I see that
It Is the disposition, taking It from the
superintendent of transportation to the
president of the road, that It la the desire
to Ignore the organisation completely. HV
It la the position of the men at thla tl'tti
that they are going to Insist upon reeogni
tlon. and that they are not going to bo lg
nored. That Is the position they take ai
this time, and I am stating the true feeM
Ings of the men. i
"In the vote taken on Friday or Monday
evening It waa the unanimous consent that
the committee must bring back something
substantial, and what results may follow
our failure to do so Ood only knows."
Mr. Wattles: "Now. Mr. Llnahan. you
assume a lot of things. In your statement
that are not true. Let me correct you,"
Mr. Llnahan: "Well, I would like- to
have you show me."
Mr. Wattles: "You say that you oams
up here and I refuse to hear any of thv
grievances that you . have got to submit
and that I refuse to say what the com
pany will do in regard to any of them.
Now, that la not go.
"The matter pertaining to the operation
of this company, as outlined In this con
tract are, first:
"All motormen and conductors shall havn
the right to select their runs; such rlghr'
shall be based upon the time of contlnuoui
service with the company, seniority In
such service to prevail In such selections
That Is one of the things you want, la ttr
Mr. Olllan: "We have that now.''
Mr. Wattles: "That Is as I understand
It. Now, the next question In your con
tract: "The wages and hours of all motormert
and conductors and shopmen shall be ail
follows: Wages for motormen and con
ductors for the first year's service. X
cents an hour; for the second year t
service, 27 cents an hour, and for the
third year's service and thereafter 28 ceutf
per hour. ,
"That Is one of the things you
Is It?"
Mr. Llnahan: "Yes. sir; that Is 'ona ol
the things we want."
Mr. Wattles: "Do you thlnjt that Ja, s
Just demand?"
Mr. Llnahan: "Well. If you can show
us It Is not a just demand." i
Mr. Wattles: "You show me that it. i.v4T t I
will you? Let us hear your side of
u.
Now let us hear what the men have
say on the subject?"
to
Mr. Llnahan: "Well, In the first place,
the newer men In the service which lib a
great many only receive 21 oents an ur
tor the first year, and the hours f 'time
are limited for them ao that they cannot
make any amount of money any reason-
aoie amount oi money to support them
2
seives ana ineir ramiilea.
Mr. Wattles: "Do you know how muc
iney ao matter '
Mr. Llnanan: "Well, I bavs got an
Idea."
Mr. Wattles: "Well, how much do they
make?"
Mr. Llnahan: "Well, I presume thev will
average from MS to r0. running up to lio
a month. 1 think they will."
Mr. Wattles: "Korty-flve to 56 Is what
they average."
Mr. Llnahan: "Of course, I do not say
that they will all average that. That is
a question upon which I have no certain
knowledge. I do not know Just what the
average woul 1 be the year around; but I
know that they will average that during
the aummer months, but In the winter
time, when the traffic Is less, they YVtli
not do so well." B
Mr. Wattles: "Let me refresh your n!"
ory on what waa presented here the other
day. We got the figures from the genual
manager. He had the hooks. Do yeu re
member what It was?"
Mr. Lear: " We did not get them."
Mr. Olllan : "I believe the conductors
made MM to $49 and the motormen, K, a
llt'le over f&O." .
Mr. Wattles: "About M." 4
Mr. Olllan: "Fifty-one dollars, X be
lieve." Mr. Llnahan: "Now Mr. Wattles, you
understsnd that the cost of living Is very
high. The cost of living In Omaha osw (a
considerable higher than It has beaii.
Everything la higher. House rents art
higher, and you can easily understand!
yourself from the way the man are emitting
every day that they cannot make a decent
living any moie under the present con
ditions in the street railway service. Thev
are quitting, as the records will show, at
the rate of 26 to 10 every month, and. of
course, that puts the older men In a bait
place; for the simple reason that there is a
shortage of help most of the time and as
a result he la overworked, and thnaa are
the conditions that we are trying to ellml
n1 ,r tfyin to get a class of men
. i .wl" PPrec'ate their job and stay
Jt and be good employes, and It they
had better remuneration from the com a
Pany, the COmoanV wnnM k.v. Hjhtfer men
and they would atay with their positions
--u. 'ruling wouia go more satlsrai 'or-
,.v company and for the men
jw, i ao not think that Is an un
fiiion id assume, anil If these men's
wages could be raised up to a fair stifed-
ard. why.
I think that
the feeling uW4
tie better. .
"The discrimination between thtoll
and the new men at the present UJ
too great. Where the old man la aslllnJ
ten to ten and a half hours at if rem,
an hour, he makes a pretty fair Uvlias.
but there Is no protection for the ner
men. Another tiling that takes place to
a certain extent is the fact that for very
trivial causes sometimes the higher priced
men are discharged." - 1
ear. wattles: "Who has heen?'
n r L,inanan: wen. i nave no
not got a
record of the men that have't
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