The St. Louis Republic., 1902-11-09
Switchmen's Union Declares That
Railroad Trainmen Exceed
ed It's Authority.
CHARGE MADE OFFICIALLY.
Serious Complications Grow Out
of the Threatened Strike in
Chicago-Grand Master
..-,N on the. Situation.
REprBLIc SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Chicago, ILL.,, Nov. SIT develops tonight
in Connection with the threatened strike OF
railway yardmen of Chicago that open war
fare has been declared by the Switchmen' S
Union of North America on the Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen. The former
organization charges that the latter has ex-
ceeded it's authority in calling for vote
from the yardmen.
This charge is made in a lengthy state
ment issued tonight by Grand Master
Hswley OF the Switchmen's Union. the Of
fetal representatives of which met in the
Mccoy Hotel while the ofncials OF the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen were
helding session in the Sherman House
and receiving and tabulating the votes for
| and against a strike.
w. G. Lee, first grand master of the
trainmen. issued a statement tonight. in
which he said the vote woaid not be com
pleted until Tomorrow night, and that no
announcement of the result would be made
at this time.
would be inaugurated. he said. would be
determined tomorrow night.
Grand Master Lee further said that sew
eral conferences were held to-day with the
officials of the railroads involved. that no
conclusions had been reached and that more
conferences would be held on Monday.
He declares that the report is not true
that the Burlington and the brotherhood
of Trainmen had reached a settlement. No
terms had been concluded with any other
line
Representatives of the Switehmen' g
Union" said Mr.. Lee, '.have made over
lures to several managers to accept the
rates offered, provided the contracts now
held by the brotherhood are turned over to
that organization and the Switchmen's 8
union Is given recognition.
Union has signed an agreement with the
Rock Island Tor ~ cents and 3is cents in
crease. The brotherhood has no contract On
hfc Iipa md lad mn
cials for an increase. 1t Is the only line
entering Chicago with which the Switch
mems Union has cor contract. It had one one
cance.ed by the road because the union did
not live up to its obligations"
1T should be borne in mind that the vote
now being taken by the trainmen directly
affects only the 5000 yardmen in Chicago.
1.-The decision In favor of a strike would
not mean that the men would quit work at
once: There. can be no actual strike. ac-
cording to the rules of the union for two
weeks to come. In the meantime an annie
But if the railroad manaeements persist
in refusing the demands formally made on
them. the men will quit. The suspension
ping interests of Chicago. and the whole
country. but once the fight is carried to
able abb % that the saS men viii 0 be rein
first by 10000 switchmen in other railroad
centers; and afterward if It becomes nee,
of Railway Trainmen and 0.0c0 members of
the Order of Railway Conductors.
Here. then, is where the possibility of a
far-reaching labor disturbance CONS in.'
The fact Is that nobody here believes the
railroad arrangements will allow matters
to come to that pass.
1t Is uneQufvocally stated in the official
circles sent OFT by the trainmen through
their authorized committees that there will
be no ''twenty-four or forty-eight hour ulti-
promulgated by the ST. Paul and Mime
apolis switchmen in securing their present
scale of wages.
It is understood that the railroads hesi-
tate to grant the Chicago demands for the
reason that what is paid here is considered
to New Orleans and west to the coast. To
yield to the local men would mean to ex-
tend the scale to all the territory involved.