Page 78
“With the assistance of my associated officers here, General Vice-Presidents J. M. Patterson, Ed M. Ware and Adolph Werner, and Grand Lodge Deputy Brother Joseph Bernatowicz, we have been able to organize several locals recently, besides doing a large amount of work handling grievances and assisting our membership in the application of the National Agreement. We hope to be able before the close of the year to have a Joint Protective Board organized on the Indiana Harbor Belt Railway and have a chairman placed on salary there to handle the business of these brothers. We are also trying to get the Switching Lines here organized into a federation of their own, so that they will be In a better position to handle their matters, and, especially, this should be done if the roads should be turned back to private ownership.”
Pages 80 – 81
“FROM GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENT E. M. WARE.
Tyler, Texas.
Editor Journal:
What will the Esch-Cummins Bill mean to Labor if it should become a law as passed by either branch of the United States Congress, is the question that should be in the minds of every laboring man and woman in America. The bill referred to jointly is two separate bills, having for their purpose the same end. The Esch bill has passed the House of Representatives and the Cummins bill the Senate and now it becomes the duty of a committee from each house to meet jointly and harmonize the two bills to such an extent that both houses will ratify the same bill, making It a law. Whether they will do this is yet be seen, but nevertheless, it concerns us all, as to the possibility and probability of such an action. Hence, we should study the question and see what effect either bill will have upon Labor.
The Esch bill, as originally drafted, was about the worst piece of proposed legislation that ever was offered, and had it become a law like it was written, it would have fastened the shackles on Labor for many years. Even now, with the Anti-Strike legislation eliminated by the Anderson amendment, it still does not sound right to those who have carefully studied the situation- Hence, every laboring man should get busy with his congressmen and senators, urging them to fight against such measures. In fact, we should have been busy a long time ago along these lines.
Well, it seems to be a well assured fact that the railroads will be returned to private management on or about March 1, of this year, and in their going back to private interests, let/ it be hoped that the railroad managements will appreciate the position in which Labor has placed themselves to the extent that no trouble will be forthcoming, at least in a serious way. In fact, we see no good reason why there should be any cause for trouble, for if the United States can get along so harmoniously with organized labor for two years and more, why can’t the private interests do as well?
In fact, Labor has played their part fair with the Government and we are willing to play it fair with the private Interests if we must work for them. Hence, we believe that we are within our rights when we say that we are going to expect the private interests to play fair with us.
Many of our readers may think that with the return of the railroads to private management, the Plumb Plan becomes a dead Issue. However, in this they are mistaken, for the going back to private management will help Instead of hurt the Plumb Plan, for the reason that some of the public are now expecting the railroads to reduce the freight and passenger rates immediately when they get them back into their control. Instead of that I believe that they will make at least a fight for another increase In rates, which of course, is going to cause the public to look in some other direction for relief from the situation. The Plumb Plan will offer the relief and will be .made one of the leading issues in politics this year, both State and National, not because the plan has any politics in it, but because the evil that the plan seeks to correct is a part of the great political machinery that has long since been used to defeat certain things.
The Plumb Plan will be before the people as a matter of education on the subject of Government ownership and will enlighten the people on this question who have heretofore been so bitterly opposed to it, thus creating sentiment In favor of the Plan and enabling us to elect people to Congress who will vote for it.
I had the great pleasure of listening to Mr. Glenn E. Plumb in the city of Chicago on November 15, at which time he spoke before the Public Ownership League, explaining the purpose of the Plumb Plan, and he did justice to the subject. It was a treat for all of those who heard him.
Well, the year 1920 is now with us, and let it be hoped that we have all resolved to do more for right and justice than ever before, so that we may have peace and harmony among our membership, all of them working to that end.
Not long after this will have appeared in print our membership will have been given an opportunity to vote upon the question that has been discussed from many angles, and that Is the holding of a convention this year. I trust that every Brother who casts his vote will have considered the matter thoroughly and will vote for the best interests of all concerned. Personally, I favor the holding of a convention, notwithstanding the fact that it will cost us a large sum of money, but I believe if the membership want to hold It, they should be allowed to do so. I shall vote for it. In fact, I think that, due to the rapid growth of our Brotherhood and the many things that have taken place since our last convention, we should hold it. I do sincerely hope that when our delegates do assemble in convention, let it be this year or some other time in the future, nothing but the very soundest of policies will be adopted, and I feel sure that they will-be. Our membership, I believe, is fully capable of selecting men as their delegates who believe that in order to progress we must have sound policies upon which to build our Brotherhood. As yet we have not finished building, but have made very substantial progress along that line. However, in the future, we will be able to say that our organization ranks second to none.
In reading the account of the death of our Brother, John Suthons, we are reminded, as Brother Weeks said in his last letter, that many of (ho old land-marks in our Brotherhood are passing away, and we are thus reminded that our existence here on earth is but a fight from the cradle to the grave. In Galveston a few days ago the General Foreman on the Santa Fe Railroad asked me what had become of the two Brother Ronemus’s, and I told him about Brother Bill’s death and about Brother Frank, and he said that he was at one time Chief Carman of Galveston Lodge No. 342, and that Brother Ronemus came to Galveston and signed the first contract ever signed on the Santa Fe. Time has wrought many changes since then and our Brotherhood has ceased to exist and been brought to life again on the Santa Fe, and yet this man had not forgotten what the Brotherhood had done in the early days.
In looking at the picture nf our distinguished General President, which was published in the Def-ember Issue of the Journal. I noticed that his hair is beginning to have “silver threads among the gold,” which reminds us that it will not be long until we will have passed off the stage of action and be numbered with those who have served us before.
Before closing my letter, I desire to compliment the splendid letter written by our dear Sister Bright, at Denison, Texas. I have the pleasure of knowing both Mrs. Bright and her husband, and I know that they are just what her letters would lead us to believe. They are both good Union people and have been tried in the fire and found to be true. Brother Bright was one of the faithful ones who fought the battles of unionism on the M., K. & T. in 1911, and in making the fight Sister Bright shared in the hardships with him.
I predict that the lodge of the Loyal Star in Denison will be a great success, for I am sure that the sisters at that point can make their lodge the success that the Carmen have made No. 89.
Trusting that the year 1920 will bring a great blessing to you all, I remain, Yours fraternally,
EDWIN M. WARE.”
Pages 139-140
“FROM GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENT E. M. WARE.
Marshalltown, Ia.
Editor Journal:
This city bears one distinction above any other city in the United States, as far as I am able to learn, and that is, that it has one of the main shops of a railroad under government control with over two hundred men employed in the car department, and not one man in it belonging to the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen; at least, I have not found him yet, although I have tried them all out.
Now, there is a reason for this. Many of our members who belonged to the Brotherhood, prior to the Chicago convention, held in 1907, will remember that our organization had a lodge here and a contract, on what was then known as the Iowa Central Railroad, but which was later made a part of and is now the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad. At that time, the men went out on strike, and Brother Frank L. Ronemus, who was then Grand Chief Carman, revoked their charter, after trying in vain to get the men to return to work and comply with the laws of the Brotherhood. After this was done, the Richardson organization, then the International Association of Car Workers, now the American Federation of Railroad Workers, came in and organized the men and secured a contract on the Iowa Central, which has been in effect ever since that time and having remained in effect on the eastern division of the M. & St. L. Railway, being the line known as the Iowa Central.
The National Agreement, signed with the Railroad Administration, did not annul agreements in effect between that organization and any railroad under Government control, until such time as the men on the system, where the contract was in effect, voted to come under the National Agreement In lieu of the one they had, hence this is what brings me to Marshalltown.
Several railroads in the United States had contracts with the A. F. of R. W. several years ago, among which was the C. & I. E.,C. & A., A. C. L., Wabash, C. P. & St. L. and the T. O. & C. The C. & I. E.( C. & A. and the A. C. L. came over to our Brotherhood several years before Government control, and since that time the Wabash has come under the National Agreement, the C. P. & St. L. has voted to do so and the T. O. & C. is taking a vote. This means that the men in the Car Department have decided that to belong to an organization with some standing is the only way to ‘get the best results.
Since writing my last letter for the Journal, which was from Tyler, Texas, I returned to Palestine and met with the Joint Protective Board of the I. & G. N. Railway, at which time I received a telegram from Kansas City to go to Jonesboro, Ark., as the men on the Jonesboro, Lake City & Eastern Railway were having trouble with the management. I proceeded to Jonesboro, and after meeting with the committee I found that the road was a small line not under Government control and was not paying standard wages. The men had prepared their demands and were ready to present them to the general manager when they were notified to report to the office and get their time. This included every man in the mechanical department, thus discharging the entire force. With the committee, I met with the general manager of the road and secured an adjustment for all crafts. They were placed in the service again and the general manager agreed to consider whatever they might present. Brother Webster, of the machinists, arrived the next day and stayed until matters were settled. We left*the work with the committee, whom I feel sure will be able to handle it successfully. Brother Webster then went to Little Rock, and after visiting Hoxie and meeting with the lodge there, I went to Paragoula and held a meeting with the brothers at that point. I then went to St. Louis, en route for Chicago, where I had orders to go.
At St. Louis, I met Grand Lodge Deputy Brother D. Thompson, and spent two days with him, visiting several shops and meeting with Lodges 546 and 406. Both of these meetings had good attendance and all seemed to enjoy themselves. I also met Brother Tottleben, who was a delegate to the Fort Worth convention from Lodge 546, but who is now working for the Southern Railroad and belongs to Lodge No. 496. Brother Tottleben Is still the fighting brother for our organization that he was at the Fort Worth convention.
Upon my arrival In Chicago, I met Brother Crosswhite, and Brother Wickline, of the Sheet Metal Workers, at the Strand Hotel. Brother Crosswhite had a message to go to Monmouth, 111., but being tied up in a conference in Chicago, he asked me to. go. Upon my arrival at Monmouth, I. found a controversy between one of our members and one of the Richardson organization as to seniority rights, our man having been displaced by the Richardson man. This was on the M. & St. L. Railway, and on the next day, in conjunction with the Federated Committee from Marshalltown, we met the general manager of the M. & St. L., and had Brother W. B. Overton put back to work on the job, from which he had been relieved.
During this conference, we discussed the matter of the application of the National Agreement on the entire system, and the matter was taken up with the Railway Employes’ Department at Washington, D. C.
I stayed in Monmouth long enough to start the matter of getting men enough to organize a lodge of our Brotherhood. A sufficient number of names have been secured since and a charter ordered for them. I held a meeting in the shops during noon hour with the men who belong to the Richardson organization, and while they treated me with utmost respect, yet, they are very bitter against our Brotherhood They have all kinds of imaginary grievances, and while some may be real, yet they are going about it in the wrong way for adjustment, getting on the outside and abusing everything done for them.
I stopped at Streator, Ill., on my way back to Chicago, but it was not on meeting nlght, so I did not get to meet with the brothers there. After working in Chicago about ten days longer, during which time I handled some business for the Mather Stock Car Company and the Chicago Interchange Bureau, I received orders to come to Marshalltown.
During my stay here in Marshalltown, I have left to visit Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, and had the pleasure of meeting with Cedar Rapids Lodge No. 1, the first lodge organized in our Brotherhood. Its charter bears the name of Brother W. H. Ronemus, as one of the membership who first organized it, and it also bears his signature as Grand Chief Carman. Brother Frank Ronemus was also a member of this lodge, and this reminds me that I received a letter from Brother Weeks, in which he said that Brother Ronemus was in very bad health, and that he had visited him recently. Let. us hope that he will yet regain his health and spend many years with us.
Since taking up the work on the M. & St. L. Railway, I must say that I have never received such splendid support anywhere as I have received here from the Federated crafts, and it is to be hoped that in the near future we will have a complete federation on this end of the line, with the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen as a part of it.
For Brother Boomer’s information, concerning Brother Carl Flowers, will say that I believe one of the issues of the Journal fer September or October, 1919, carried the notice of this brother’s death at El Paso, Tex. Brother Flowers was then a member of Lodge No. 152 in El Paso, and I believe that he was working for the El Paso Terminal, at least he was when I was in El Paso last March. He can get information concerning this brother’s death by writing to the secretary of the above named lodge.
Well, at this time, the conferees on the Esch-Cummins bill seem to have about agreed, leaving out the objectionable part to labor, and yet the bill does not meet with labor’s approval for many reasons. But before this letter appears in print, it will evidently be passed upon by both the House and the Senate, and, maybe, already have become a law. If so, we will all have the opportunity of watching the results, and those that have acted in haste may have to repent at leisure.
Yours fraternally,
EDW. M. WARE.”
Pages 202 -203
FROM GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENT E. M. WARE.
Marshalltown, Ia.
Editor Journal:
March 1 has arrived and passed into history and the railroads have been turned back to their respective owners to be governed again by private management, the operation of which will be observed by all who are interested.
We have now had some little time since the roads reverted back, and, as far as we can tell, there has not been a cog missed or a step lost since the change. However, the future will tell what will be the final outcome. But one thing can he truthfully said, and that is that they found their employes in a considerable different atmosphere as to their wages and working conditions in comparison to what they were when they left them. 1 predict that In their future dealings with the employes they will never be able to place upon them, even if they try, the horrible conditions to which they were subjected before the government assumed control.
On February 25 the vote on the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad, which had been ordered taken by the Railroad Administration, as to the application of the National Agreement on the entire system Instead of the A. P. of R. W. agreement then in effect on the Eastern Division, was counted by the officials of the company, the Federated Crafts and myself. The company had notified the A. F. of R. W. to have their representatives there, and their committee appeared, but declined to have anything to do with It, retiring before the vote was counted. The vote resulted as follows: Employes entitled to a vote, 694; favoring the National Agreement, 398; against the National Agreement. 26; those not voting, 270. This gave the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen a clear majority over all men employed of 102 votes. The officials then declared that the National Agreement would become effective forthwith. This meant the passing of the Richardson organization on the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad, the officials notifying the A. F. of R. W.’s committee that they could not recognize them in the future as representing an organization, but that all legislating would be done by the Federated Crafts.
Now, as to whether the men who belong to the Richardson organization will now think wisely and come Into our Brotherhood is a question that the future must decide. However, I will say that the men with whom I have talked are more Inclined that way than ever before and, with proper handling, I feel sure that good results may be obtained. The day and hour is here when men realize more fully than ever that we must fight together and not against each other. This has been one of the strongholds of the Richardson organization, he having organized the men at the time that our Brotherhood lost their charter here In 1906, and they have had a contract on the Eastern Division ever since, which was the Iowa Central Railroad at that time, hut was later absorbed by the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad.
I fail to see how the Richardson organization has continued to interest as Intelligent men as some of them here In that organization seem to be, with such vile language, being nothing short of personal abuse, as printed In their Journal. One brother was kind enough to let me read their Journal, and it was full of abuse, vilification, Blander and vituperation. In some of the dark ages that kind of stuff might have fitted In and be regarded as appropriate, but, surely, in this day and age no pane man can expect to win by such methods.
It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I read of the alliance formed at Washington of the thirteen railroad organizations, pledging themselves to support each other In the wage demand now before the railroad officials, but which was at that time before the Railroad Administration. This is what we have needed, but have never had because we had not progressed far enough, in matter of organization, to bring it about. In the future, let It be hoped that we will see all the railroad organizations banded together’ in federation on all questions, to the extent that the injury of one is the concern of all.
Well, the politicians and office-holders ard seekers are looking at the move made by organized labor to get Into politics with no little concern, for it simply means that if both organized labor and the farmer votes together, and they do not elect men who are friendly to labor, it will be their own fault, for they surely have the power to do so. In the two classes Just mentioned, we find the large majority of the people of the good old U. S. A. I know that it has been said that we haven’t any business in politics and that Is Just what has put labor where It is today. But from now on I am advocating the principle of labor supporting its friends and defeating its enemies, regardless of what political party to which they may belong. It Is the only way labor will win, and let me say to the laboring men In Texas, we will have the opportunity to do this very thing in our Lone Star state this year, for we have both friends and enemies who are running for office. It will, therefore, pay you to know the man for whom you cast your vote and to know that he is a friend of the common people. We have a few men in congress from Texas now who have not kept faith with their constituents, and it will be well for us to consider their record before returning them to the capitol for another term.
With best wishes, I remain,
Yours fraternally,
EDW. M. WARE.”
Pages 377 – 379
“FROM GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENT E. M. WARE.
It was with a great deal of regret that I learned of the death of Brother Frank L. Ronemus. While It was not unexpected, yet it came as very sad news.
Brother Ronemus was one of our tried and true Brotherhood men. In the early days when it did not pay so much to be a union man as it does now, and it was not so popular, yet he gave his time and efforts to the up-building of the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen of America. And I am glad that he lived to see it as powerful an organization as it now is, for it must have Indeed been gratifying to him.
Brother Ronemus is gone and we will no longer see him at our conventions, as he was always there. We are reminded again by the departure that our sojourn here is just a fight from the cradle to the grave. I am sure that Brother Weeks will have a good write up relative to his life, so I will not dwell longer.
I have just arrived in Beaumont from Houston and have only had time to see a few of the carmen here, but tonight Is their regular meeting night, at which time I will have the opportunity to talk with them. This is my first visit to Beaumont since the open shop movement started in Texas, and this being the first place where It broke out, of course, I am somewhat Interested as to how it is affecting the various organizations.
While I have not had time to see much myself, yet I am told that organized labor has been and is now holding its own with the proponents of the so-called open shop which, in my opinion, is a mis-nomer, for the reason that the people who are behind the open shop movement do not practice the principles of it, at least some of them do not. For Instance, the lawyer Is an example. Many of them are taking the lead In the movement, yet they would not let a lawyer stay in Beaumont who would not affiliate with the Bar Association. The doctors are also loud in their denunciation of the closed shop, and yet I have seen cases where they would put any doctor out of business who failed to line up with the Medical Association.
Now, I agree with them that they had the right to do it, for after they have spent their time and money to learn a profession, they have the right to take such steps, not prohibited by law, to protect that profession, and no honest man will deny them that right. The mechanic, the clerk, or any other man or woman who has learned a trade or calling, has the same right, but the open shop proponents say ‘No, we will not give our consent to such a thing, therefore we have to fight for the same protection for ourselves as we are willing to concede to them.’
When I was last in Palestine, my home town, where the open shop fight has been on since last November, I learned that the union people were more than holding their own. They have won back over half of the firms that surrendered their cards at the commencement of the strike, and if the lawyers were out of the fight at this time. I feel sure that the merchants, who have not given in, would do so in a short time.
My last letter, which was in March, was written from Marshalltown, Iowa, and I mentioned the fact that in Texas there would be some politics that would behoove organized labor to keep their eyes well on that particular part to which I referred, but which has since “blown up in smoke.” I refer to the fight in Texas by Joe Bailey, a former United States Senator from Texas, against the administration of President Wilson. Joe was also supposed to be a candidate for governor of this state and had announced hi3 candidacy, but on May 1 the good people of Texas, among which was a large part of organized labor, defeated Joe Bailey against President Wilson in the precinct primaries so bad that Joe went back to Washington very quiet, sadder but wiser. He says that he will return and “clean up” Texas yet, but no one believes that he will do the former nor attempt to do the latter. Thus it is goodbye for Joe Bailey in Texas politics.
I hated to leave Marshalltown at the time I did, as I would have liked to have watched the effect of the National Agreement upon the men working in the Marshalltown shops, and who belonged to the Richardson organization. They were badly put out because we had it applied to the entire system, and said if we had not interfered with them they would have secured a much better agreement with the Minneapolis & St. Louis railway management than we had with the Government.
However, I understand since leaving Marshalltown that the railroad officials are inclined to treat with them also, which should not be permitted by the federated crafts. Now, let me say right here that if the majority of our membership on the Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad will show any fight, the metal trades will surely do their part, for I never have seen men as determined to “get” the dual organization of any road as they are at Marshalltown and on the entire Eastern Division. So, let our men show their colors on this road and they will get the support of the other crafts.
After leaving Marshalltown, I came to Jonesboro, Ark., where the shop crafts on the Jonesboro, Lake City & Eastern Railway had been on strike for several weeks. I arrived on the same day as did Brother Webster of the Machinists, and we met the general manager a number of times, but failed to get results. He was willing to do whatever the president of the road would agree to, and we tried to get a meeting with the president, but were not successful, so we told the general manager that everything would stand as it was until they decided to settle the matter. Since leaving there, I have heard nothing further from it. Our brothers were all holding out to a man.
I went to Palestine in April and stayed there a few days, then went to San Antonio and met the committee on the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway, and from there to Yoakum, meeting the officials relative to the handling of grievances. Because of this engagement I failed to get to the Railway Employes’ Department Convention in Kansas City on April 12, which, judging from the reading of the minutes of the meeting, must have been some convention of importance.
From San Antonio I went to Brownwood, stopping at Temple, and had a federated meeting with the Santa Fe shop men there, and at Brownwood, organized a carmen’s lodge of Santa Fe men. From there I went to Dallas, where I spent several days with the Carmen’s Legislative Association of Texas, which was in convention, it being the largest convention of the Association that has ever been held. I had the pleasure of meeting many old friends and making some new ones. The delegates were all pleased with the progress of our Brotherhood during the past two years and were hopeful of greater things for the future.
I then went to Marshall and met the general chairman and secretary-treasurer of the Joint Protective Board of the Texas & Pacific Railway on some matters affecting the Joint Protective Board and the lodge in Marshall. Brother E. L. Organ, the general chairman, had just returned from the Railway Employes’ Convention at Kansas City and was delighted with the outcome of the convention.
From Marshall I came to Houston at the request of the Grand Lodge to assist the lodge in Houston, composed of Southern Pacific members, and their general chairman, William A. Smith. After investigating matters with all concerned, the Joint Protective Board was called to convene in Houston on May 31, and during a three days’ session a new set of officers was elected, as follows: Brother J. E. Melear, Hearne, Tex., general chairman; Brother J. Hogan, New Orleans, La., vice-chairman, and Brother C. Singleton, Lafayette, La., secretary-treasurer. Brother Melear will, of course, be on salary, and represent the carmen of the Southern Pacific Lines, Atlantic Division.
Everyone is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the investigation of the demands of the employes on the railroads by the Wage Board, created under the Transportation Act, and let us hope that the recommendations of this board will be equal to the increased cost of living.
EDW. M. WARE.”
Page 456
FROM GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENT
E. M. WARE.
The fact that William G. McAdoo was defeated for the nomination for the office of President for the United States at San Francisco Is no less than a calamity so far n the men and women who toil on railroads are concerned, as well as the many thousands of others whom he would have befriended. The delegates who believe in good, clean government and a square deal for everyone fought with their backs to the wall for our friend, but the co-operative wealth was too much for them and they went down in defeat before Wall Street.
The working men and women all over the United States were for William G. McAdoo, and had he been nominated he would have been President, and would have done something worth while for the common people; but now we must look to some other source for relief as he is entirely out of the question and many men and women will join me in regretting that such is the case. I am consoled with the fast that had all the delegates fought for him like -the forty sturdy men from Texas, his nomination would have been unanimous for they voted forty votes, forty-six times, and the men composing the delegation were friends of labor with a few exceptions.
I arrived in New Orleans just in time to get into the street car men’s strike which has been on since the first day of July. Striking for what? Why, just the right to live, striking for a living wage. Naturally the first question anyone would ask is what they were getting when they went out on strike. The highest paid men were getting 48 cents per hour and it varied back to 36 cents per hour according to their experience, and yet they were expected to be faithful to their employer and loyal to the public. I wonder how long the mechanic on the railroad would work for that pay and 1 am of the opinion, not for long for his wages now, although a third more than theirs, is not a living wage. My hat is off to the street car men to win and they are making their presence lelt by the street car company.
I had the pleasure the other evening of meeting with Crescent City Lodge No. 745. This lodge is composed of carmen working for the Southern Pacific Railway in the Algiers Shop, and they have been organized under three different lodges, first under No. 113, and it was during the life of this lodge that Brother Ryan, together with Brother B. P. Lewis, handled the strike and won it. Later on they lost their charter and were again organized under Lodge No. 442, just before or about the time of the great Harriman Line strike, after which this charter lapsed, and then we organized them under the present charter, some of the men having belonged to all three of the lodges at this same point. I find them almost 100 per cent and ready at all times to stand for the right thing and I appreciate the manner in which they attend to business.
No doubt, before this will appear in print, the time will have expired for the Wage Board to make their report, but what effect it will have towards relieving the conditions among the workers I am unable to say. Let us hope that their decision will be of such a relief to the employes on the railroads that a greater part of the unrest that prevails throughout the country will be entirely eliminated.
Since coming to New Orleans I met Brother W. S. Kenny of Lodge No. 114, who works for the T. & P. Railway, who, in company with Brother A. H. Bloom of Lodgo No. 745, have been at Baton Rouge, the capltol city of Louisiana, working with the
legislature for the passage of legislation beneficial to the working men and women of this state. They are working especially in the interest of the Car Shed Bill and they report the progress made, the same old story, labor fails to win, simply because we fail to put enough men in office to past
, legislation that will protect us. This will continue just as long as we continue to vote for some fellow because he may stand right on some issue other than labor, and when he gets to the capitol he votes like the corporations want him to vote. I do not say they all do that, but a majority do. and now with a great gigantic movement on against us known as the Open Shop Movement, it surely behooves us more than ever to make our rights stronger. I say that labor this year will surprise the other side more than we have ever surprised tbem.
At last I am glad to realize that we have to a large degree settled our differences with the Boiler Makers’ organization in regard to jurisdiction questions, over steel car work and pilot and tender frame work. I trust in the future more harmony will exist between the two organizations than there has in the past.
EDWARD M. WARE.”
Pages 568 -569
“FROM GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENT E. M. WARE.
Fort Worth, Texas
I made a mistake in my letter from New Orleans with reference to the wages received by the striking street carmen. I stated that the highest paid them was 48 cents per hour, but in this I was mistaken, for the highest rate paid at time of the strike was 42 cents per hour and the lowest 36 cents per hour. I do not want this statement to go uncorrected, for while 48 cents per hour would have been an unreasonably low wage, yet 42 cents was still lower.
I left the Crescent City before the strike was finally settled, but not before the gigantic mass meeting was held by organized labor npon Lafayette Square, in which more than 12,000 people participated. Think of it, such a erowd of union men and women and their friends, and it was the commencement of the settlement, for when the New Orleans Railway Company came to understand that the citizenship of New Orleans was behind the striking carmen they began to try out some plan by which to get the men to return to work. The first plan was the open shop policy, giving any man the right to belong to whatever he pleased, but that they would not recognize the Amalgamated Association of Electric Street Railway Employes. This did not take well with the striking carmen and they turned it down cold. After I left they effected temporary settlement which permitted every man to return to work and submit all matters in controversy to arbitration.
The manner in which President Rodgers, of the Street Carmen’s Union No. 194, and J. B. Lawson, International Representative of the Amalgamated Association of Electric Street Railway Employes, conducted this strike won the sympathy of many men outside of the labor movement.
And just prior to the victory of the street carmen, the metal trades organizations of the city won a strike after nine weeks’ duration and established a rate of 90 cents per hour for mechanics and 60 cents per hour for helpers, thus breaking another link in the proposed open shop chain In New Orleans.
I left New Orleans and came to Shreveport, La., where I met with a committee on the Louisiana Railway & Navigation Company, helping them with the wage increase, in getting ready for the Short Line Conference and the Wage Board, which ia to be held some time soon, they not being affected by the decision rendered by the Wage Board recently. It was while I was here In Shreveport that I learned of the nward rendered in the decision of the Wage Board as affecting the sixteen standard railroad organizations. Now while this wage increase does not suffice in every detail, yet I believe that our men should accept it and continue to upbuild and strengthen our organization for the future welfare of our membership and protect them against any fight which might be made against them. So far as the shop organizations are concerned the increase was not so bad.
From Shreveport I was ordered here to Fort Worth on account of trouble with the Southwestern Mechanical Company and the Carmen in their employ. When I arrived I found things had already reached a climax and that Brother C. E. Whitlow, who was representing the Grand Lodge, had pulled the men out of both Swift and Armour packing companies. After the laws of our Brotherhood had been complied with the men had voted to strike.
Now here is what brought on the trouble: The two above named companies had what was known as the Southwestern Mechanical Company to repair their cars and it was really owned by Swift and Armour themselves, but they were paying the standard scale of pay and had signed the National Agreement. However, several days ago they abolished the Southwestern Mechanical Company and each of the packing companies assumed control of their own work, one of them employing part of the carmen formerly employed by the Southwestern Mechanical Company and the other employing the rest of them. But instead of putting into effect the standard rate of pay as was paid by the Southwestern Mechanical Company they put into effect what is known as the Alshuler Award, which is the award rendered by the federal judge in the Chicago district governing all packing house employes, the rates ranging from 57 cents to 67 cents per hour.
The carmen protested most vigorously and were ably assisted by Brother Whitlow, but the two companies would not recede from their positions so the carmen voted to strike and did strike. There are only a few of them, but they are determined not to work for Swift and Armour packing companies at less than the standard pay, 80 cents and 85 cents per hour. The switchmen’s organization and the butcher workmen’s union will render us every assistance possible and surely we will win, thereby letting the packing house industry know that our men’s wages cannot be redueed without a fight.
Well, politics have surely warmed up and the man that I referred to in my letter in the June issue was not as dead as we thought he was, for Joe Bailey did come back to Texas and declared for the open shop and all of its policies. He made the race for governor and led In the first primary by over 1,500 votes. But watch the second primary on August 28, which will have been held before this appears In print, when wc predict that Pat M. Neff of Waco, Texas, will have left Bailey in the shade. Neff Is a friend to Labor and will make the people a good governor, Joe Bailey being an avowed enemy of labor, taking his own word for it.
What did we do for the open shop crowd in Palestine, Texas, and Anderson county, which is my home town and county? I am reliably informed that the last count In the county shows that the union men and women have elected a sheriff, constable, two justices of the peace, one state senator, and the union candidate for county judge, Major Charles Stewart, was leading the ticket against three other men, with the closest man, a hardware merchant and president of the open shop association in Anderson county, more than 150 votes behind him. And, believe me, that candidate of ours was running like a scared wolf and here is hoping that he goes in ahead of the open shop man.
Major Stewart belongs to he Order of Railway Conductors, and served In the Spanish-American war. He was one of the first men to enlist in the World war and served during the entire time. He was promoted to the position of major. Brother Stewart is a very deserving man and will make a good county judge. The race between the open shop candidate and the friend to labor will also be run off in the second primary. Here Is hoping that the good people of Anderson, Houston and Henderson counties will elect a man for the office of district judge that will be a friend to the people and enforce the law, giving everyone a square deal which is all that labor wants.
In my last letter I did not mention the very important thing that occurred on the 26th of June, but I hope that some other brother from Houston, Texas, did write It up. I refer to the very pleasant time that the writer enjoyed at the picnic of the Southern Pacific employes hold at Sylvan Beach between Houston and Galveston. I would not attempt to tell you everything that happened for it would take too long, but I will say that the committee deserves great credit for the manner In which they handled the entire affair. I hope that it will be repeated next year and best of all that I will be permitted to be present, for it is surely worth while for anyone to have this kind of an outing, enjoying themselves with their families and their friends.
In conclusion let me express my opinion, as I have heretofore expressed it, that labor Is now on the road to succeed, organize, federate and use their power wisely.
E. M. WARE.”
Pages 622
“I saw in the Journal a few days ago where Brother Ware met a T. & P. brother who had been working with the legislature of Louisiana for the passage of a Car Shed Bill. Texas has one and when Louisiana gets hers I will go after Brother West, our General Chairman, for one, as Alabama needs much for the carmen. We need car sheds and sanitary offices, or “shacks,” as we call them. I feel sure that we will soon get them, as our contract provides for this, and I believe that the management will do their part when the facts have been brought to their attention.”
Page 626
“CLEBURNE, TEXAS
Brothers, even If It is some time since you heard from Cleburne Lodge No. 794, do not think that we are not taking a great interest in the B. R. C. of A., and keeping posted on all labor matters. Our lodge is fortunate in having well attended and interesting meetings, and quite often enjoys the presence of out of town brothers. On August 18, Vice-President Edward Ware was a welcome visitor and gave us one of his interesting and instructive talks. Brother Ware is the lucky possessor of a personality that makes even the most recent member feel he has known him for a long, loilg time. Come again, Brother Ware, we are always glad to see and hear you.”
Pages 662 – 664
“FROM GENERAL VICE-PRESIDENT, E. M. WARE.
San Antonio, Texas.
The election has come and gone and what the results will mean for Labor is yet to be seen. Naturally, after having lived eight years under an Administration that has been execeedingly fair to Organized Labor, we consider the change made on the 2nd with a great deal of concern. I said in my July letter that It was no less than a catastrophe for Labor when the San Francisco Sonventioh failed to nominate the Hon. W. G. McAdoo, and now I say it was not only a catastrophe for Labor but a calamity for the Democratic Party, so fas as the presidential campaign was concerned. Let’s hope that the future holds in store for us better things than that which now appears on the horizon.
It has been sometime in Texas, or in the entire South, since we were confronted with a railroad strike, either legal or illegal, but on October 7, the Federated Shop Crafts on the San Antonio, Uvalde & Gulf Railroad at Pleasanton, Texas, and outlying points, suspended work, because of the company’s continued violation of the National Agreement, and while I do not condone the act at all, for it was Illegal and the men had not attempted to carry their grievances to the General Manager of the Railroad, neither had they used all the machinery available to have secured a settlement, yet one thing can be said of them, and that is that the strike was 100 per cent so far as the number was concerned, for they pulled every man, even the General Foreman and the Company Doctor.
I was called there, and in company with Brother Leckenby, General Organizer for the Boilermakers, reached a compromised settlement, which was accepted by the men. We were ably assisted by Brother Upchurch, General Chairman of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and Brother Wilkins, Acting General Chairman of the Brotherhood Locomotive Engineers, it being through their good offices that we reached the General Manager, Mr. A. R. Ponder.
In Houston, the Southern Pacific Shop Crafts took the bits in their teeth on the 13th of October and suspended work on account of the continued violation of the National Agreement by the Officials. The last act, which caused the men to take action, was where four negro men were employed in the Mill in the main Southern Pacific Shops in Houston, and had been discharged by the Company officials after they had investigated their case with the Local Protective Board of the Carmen, finding them guilty of not only “loafing on the job,” but of using insolent language towards the Foreman, later on the Superindent of Motive Power ordering the negroes returned to work, although the positions had been bulletined and other men had bid them in but had not been assigned to them. The Superintendent of Motive Power took the position that they had been discriminated against on account of being negroes and because they did not belong to the Union, after which the Local Federation took the matter up with him and he refused to take them off of the job and assign in their stead white men. This was reported to the men in the Shops, and at 1:40 p. m. the men began to leave their work, and by 4 o’clock nearly all of the Carmen, Electricians and Sheet Metalworkers were on the street, and some of the Boilermakers, Machinists and Blacksmiths left their places.
The Company took the position that no man could return to work except as a new man and reserved the right to say just who should return to work. As soon as General Chairman J. E. Melear of the Carmen and Walter Nash of the Machinists arrived on the scene to handle it, I went to Pleasanton where the strike had been on for one week there, and did not return to Houston for about ten days, at which time I returned to meet the U. S. Conciliator, Mr. Jos. S. Myers, and went with him to confer with Mr. Waid in the General Manager’s Office, but failed to reach an agreement whereby the men could return to work. However, we were assured that men who would be refused employment, it would not be because of their activities in the Organization, but two days later the company posted a bulletin notifying all men who did not return by a certain time that they would not be re-employed.
Upon the posting of this Bulletin the men were instructed to report for work, which they did, and the Company proceeded to select such men as they saw fit to take back, and, in almost every instance, the entire committees were rejected as well as the officers of the various local unions, which showed that It was a fight against the active men in the Organizations. This being true, the men refused to accept the terms of re-employment offered by the Company, hence, the lockout began, for I do not consider, after the men reported for work and were treated in such a manner, that a strike existed, but a lockout instead.
I left there and came to San Antonio, and have been here one week, and have just received instructions to return to Houston and be with Brother B. M. Jewell, who will reach there today, possibly yesterday, therefore, I am leaving here tonight.
We had hoped that if there was to be a break between the Organizations and the Railroads, it would come from the latter, for we had talked to our membership urging them to use good judgment and not suspend work until every possible means of settlement had been used and the laws of the Organization had been complied with as well as the National Agreement, but this came and now it is on and we must make the best of it. I surely do trust that by the time this appears in print we will have reached a settlement, both satisfactory and profitable to the men concerned.
At this, time when Organized Labor Is on trial for its very existence, we expect the membership to use good sound judgment and not act hastily and unwisely. Brothers, the members or our Organization must use their head and keep the confidence of the public, and there is but one way to do that, and that is to be fair and live up to our agreements, for unless we can assure the railroads that our membership will comply with contracts made by the Organization and not resort to Illegal wildcat strikes, whenever the notion suits them, then we must admit that we are not organized, but simply belong to an Organization. To be organized means co-operation. It means working together, and this we are not doing, when a part of our membership will leave their work in violation of good faith, the laws of the Brotherhood and the National Arreement.
I would not have one of you understand me to say that the grievances were not just which caused the men both at Houston and Pleasanton to leave their work. Yes, they were real grievances, but they took the wrong steps to get redress. One brother said to ma that the route was too long, if you complied with the laws of the Organization. Well, the other route is considerably longer in the long run, in many instances, and if the route is too long to comply with the laws, then why not change them, although I favor the laws as they now stand.
Well, since my last letter, I spent several weeks in New Orleans, La., which was in September, and the hottest September on record in that city. While there, I assisted the committee in reaching an agreement with the New Orleans Railway and Light Company concerning a new working agreement and increase in pay. The agreement includes the 44-hour week, with provision for a union shop and an increase of 13c per hour retroactive to July 20. I found a very fine bunch of brothers working for the New Orleans Railway and Light Company, and hope to meet many of them again.
Yours fraternally,
EDW. M. WARE.”
Reference Data:
Railway Carmen's Journal, Vol. 25, by Brotherhood Railway Caremen of US and Canada, 1920
This wonderful gentleman is my Grand Father. I learned about him through reading these journals. Discovered what a fasinating person he was. 🙂