Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-28
SETTLE IN NEW YORK
Union Pacific Must Ultimately Meet Strike
Leaders in Omaha.
sHoPWEN STILL DUBIOUS OF OUTCOME
Declare Their Intention to stand
Firm and Reject Any COmpro-
mise Measures Proposed
by the OmciaIs.

A great deal Of skepticism over the pros
poets Of immediate settlement Of the Union
Pacific strike prevails among strikers in
Omaha. Although leaders OF the strike have
been called to New York to confer with
Hartman, Burt and others as a continual
tlon Of the negotiations begun in Omaha
about two weeks ago, there is a general sus-
picion that matters are far from complete
adjustment.
In the first place 1t is pointed out that no
complete and final settlement can be eff
fected at the New York conference. The
best that can be done is for the confreres to
reach some mutual agreement as a basis OF
settlement and then effect the ultimate set
Element here in Omaha, where the strike
began.
The authority Of final settlement is not
vested in the strike leaders, now in New
York. They can receive and make pro-
posals, but the final action must come
through the district committees, at least
so far as the boiler makers and machinists
are concerned. And as the members Of
these district committees live in Omaha
and other places along the Union Pacific It
is not at all likely that they would be
summoned to New York. Ed Kennedy,
president Of the boiler makers district
committee. is the only member of that
body in the east and the machinists have
none Of their committeeman there. So that
despite the alleged scheme Of Hartman
and Burt to pull the settlement of in New
York, where the public sentiment favorable
to the strikers would not have an oppor-
tunity Of asserting itself, strikers here in
sist that the final treaty Of peace will be
effected in Omaha.
1t is now generally believed among the
utwiLnr9 Nb,4 TTorrf,,,- 10, roooh,aI A.
conclusion that IL would not be wise to
leave the responsibility Of e%ffecting a set
Element wholly in the hands of Mr.. Burt,
against whom there is a strong personal
feeling among the strikers. 1t is also
believed that Hartman and Burt have
found II difficult to agree on the policy
10 be pursued in suing for peace.
strikers stand Firm.
Strikers are still ~resolute in demanding
The original conditions of settlement-no
piecework, an increase in wages. reinstate-
ment of all men discharged or on a strike
and the discharge of all strike breakers.
"If our representatives should return
from New York and advise us to accept any
different terms they would meet with open
and complete rebellion" said one Of the
foremost strikers. But they will not do
this he continued. "They will stand as
firm as we are doing and demonstrate to
Mr.. Hartman that getting them away off
TO New York was not the strategic move he
may have thought"
1t was stated at strike headquarters yes
terday that IL terms of settlement are not
agreed on soon transcontinenta service will
be tied up between Chicago and the Pacific
coast. He said the Northwestern, Santa
Fe and Southern Pacific shopmen have al
raadv DladQad their gymnafhatiH NO-O0ara-
tion and would strike IL the Union Pacific
declined to settle on the terms proposed by
their men. The Southern Pacific men
promised when this truce was arranged,
pending the conferences, to remain at their
work until January 8. After that time they
are free from moral obligations and 1t is
believed will strike despite any contrary
influence. Already It has become necessary
for the Union Pacific strikers to urge their
brethren on the Southern Pacific to remain
at work in order to prevent a strike before
the present negotiations reached a crisis.
The machinists Friday succeeded in get
ting one Of their experts through the Union
Pacific shops in Omaha. He secured a pass
from one of the strike breakers and effected
his passage by this means. He tells a
dreary tale. He says there are something
like 100 men now in the blacksmiths', ma
chinists' and boiler makers departments,
where a few weeks ago the company had
over 500 imported workmen. The force is
constantly dwindling, and 1t is asserted that
by Monday there will not be fifty men in
the shops. The expert made a thorough in
vestigation and found that in the machine
shops there were just three real machinists
and no real mechanics in the blacksmith
shop.
In DemOralized state.
Everything is In a demoralized condi-
tion," he said. ''The men are standing
around most of their time doing absolutely
nothing. Some of them told me they had
never done any real mechanics work since
entering the shops. And an inspection Of
the engines sent in for repair confirmed
their stories. I did not see an engine that
had been thoroughly repaired and over
hauled as they have to be and are when the
shops are actually in operation. Only the
toughest and erudest patching is being done.
i saw some locomotives that had been
smeared with a little rough paint, but to a
skilled eye they did not even look as II
they had been repaired. There is an I'M
usually large number OF engines in the
shops. ! don't see how the company pos
sibly can forego a settlement much longer.
If conditions out on the road are as bad as
they are in the shops, the situation GER
tainly is alarming for the company. came
here for the specific purpose OF making this
trip through the shops, and l must say
got through with less trouble than I