Page:Engines and men- the history of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. A survey of organisation of railways and railway locomotive men (IA enginesmenhistor00rayniala).pdf/224

 Society's demand, the Society representatives were unable just then to get more for the adults. The Executive were satisfied that the negotiators had done their utmost, and accepted the position. It was therefore resolved that upon the new war bonus agreement being received by the General Secretary, it should be forwarded to the President, with authority to sign it. Mr. Bromley and Mr. Hunter therefore signed on June 17th in London.

Concurrent action had to be taken by the Society to secure the same concessions for the men on the Scottish lines and the London electric systems. There was trouble, too, on the G.N.R. over its Conciliation policy, for it accepted the general truce without accepting the general conditions, and a firm stand had to be taken to enforce them upon that Company, which has repeatedly caused separate trouble owing to its hostile policy towards union claims. A war levy was called for from members to enable the Society to deal generously with those members serving with the colours, for in three months over 1,368 members had joined up, and their contributions ceased from that time, their benefits also ceasing, except the Death and Orphan Fund benefits, until they resumed duty. By July of 1915, 1,702 members were serving with the forces, of whom seven had been killed and many wounded.

Despite this record, and the desire of many others to join up, it was necessary to send the following letter to the War Office in April of 1915:-

"Our members are jeered at and even molested in the streets by dockyard workers and soldiers, because they have not enlisted. I have no hesitation in asserting that our members are just as loyal to their country in the present crisis as any body of men there are, and I claim, on their behalf, that they are doing their duty with the least possible trouble to anyone. We have a large number of them already joined the Army; we have a large number who would have joined if they had not been prevented from doing so by the instructions given from the War Office to the effect that locomotivemen must not be enlisted. The whole of our men feel it is not a right thing for them to have to submit