Following a meeting of the Big Four Brotherhoods at Spencer this morning with representatives present from the railroad clerks’ union, a resolution was approved, and went to General Manager R.E. Simpson, of Southern Railway Lines East, voicing disapproval of the presence of the soldiers in the Spencer yards and stating that unless the troops were removed they would not return to work and move trains. Following receipt of the resolution, General Manager Simpson consented to transfer the troops back to the fair grounds, three miles away, and Colonel Scott, commanding officer, issued the instructions at once.
This information came to Governor Morrison, shortly after noon Tuesday from Colonel Scott talking over telephone, during which conversation Colonel Scott told the Governor that he was aware of the negotiations between the strikers, their sympathizers from other crafts, and officials of the Southern and that, in his own judgment, there was no further justification for the presence of the troops in the yards. They were withdrawn, he said, at once following the acquiescence given by General Manager Simpson and he told the Governor that the situation at Spencer had quieted perceptibly since the troops went out of the yards.
The Governor had no comment to make on the sudden turn in the developments, except to make it clear that Colonel Scott and not the Governor was in command of the troops and that the commanding officer had plenary authority to act in accordance with what he thought wise and best.
The Governor indicated, however, that the commanding officer would of course be influenced by the representations made to him by both officials of the road and officials of the striking shopmen and other craftsmen sympathetic with them and that if all had agreed that it wee best in the interests of harmony to remove the troops, he saw no reason why they should be held on duty on the yards. The Governor laid emphasis upon the fact that the soldiers are not sent to Spencer primarily to do guard duty, that this was only incidental, that they were dispatched to see that order is preserved and he thought they could od this from the fair grounds as acceptably as within the yard, provided there was an understanding between the officers of the State and the representatives of the strikers that disorders would be held down.
The representatives of the Brotherhoods, Governor Morrison indicated that he had heard from Colonel Scott, had made the claim that the presence of the troops within the enclosure of the Spencer shops was aggravating the difficulties there and that the situation was being made more tense by their presence there on guard duty than it would be if they were withdrawn.
It was in evidence that General Manager Simpson, who is in personal charge of the situation at Spencer for the Southern, agreed with this view of the case and consented to join with the Brotherhood leaders and other craftsmen in asking the State to take the troops away.
It was the information, coming from the Governor through Colonel Scott, that resulted immediately in the engineers, firemen, brakemen, conductors, clerks and all others who had walked out on strike Monday night and who had continued to refuse to work under existing conditions Tuesday morning, rushing back to their respective places and trains began to move at once.
Colonel Scott also told the Governor that the situation had perceptibly cleared and that “everything is being composed now,” as a result of this decision on the part of officials of the Southern, strikers and the commanding officer.
The troops are still on guard duty in Salisbury, Colonel Scott said, and will be available for any other special emergency arising in Spencer. There is no suggestion that the troops are to be recalled from their encampment in the fair grounds.
Governor Morrison reached Charlotte shortly after midnight and soon returned at the Southern Manufacturers Club. Early Tuesday morning the contemplated going on to Asheville in his car, but the events at Spencer deterred him here and he said at noon that he would probably not resume his journey to the mountains until very late in the afternoon, perhaps not until Wednesday morning.
Governor Morrison received word at noon from Colonel Scott verifying Associated Press reports to the effect that troops had been removed from guard duty at the Spencer shops. Twice earlier in the day Colonel Scott had communicated with the Governor over the telephone keeping hm informed of the developments at Spencer and possessing him with the information concerning the action of affiliated craftsmen there in refusing to move trains so long as troops were stationed within the shops. Colonel Scott told him of the conference that began at 10:30 o’clock between representatives of the Big Four Brotherhoods and officials of the Southern Railway in which the commanding officer participated and the subsequent agreement that was reached that in the interest of peace and to enable the Southern to continue running its trains—in other words, to prevent a complete tie up of activities on the system, it would be wise to accede to the demands of the strikers and their friends and take the troops out of Spencer.
Governor Morrison had no additional statement to make. In fact, he asked The News not to quote him at all from a lengthy conversation with a representative as he remained in his rooms at the Southern Manufacturers Club. The governor said he was worn out and would make no public appearances of any sort during his stay here (words obscured) would he like to make any ?? statement except in consideration of the stand he has already taken which he said had been amply covered previously in official proclamations and other public statement.
. . . .
From the front page of the Charlotte News, Aug. 22, 1922
No comments:
Post a Comment