Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-12
MUST MEET BURT THIS WEEK.
President slocum Of Blacksmiths Wanted in
East and Cannot Wait Long.
CHEERFUL VIEW OF THE OUTLOOK
May he Necessary for BIacksmiths 20
Confer I'm Advance of Others,
but Plan Of Unison
Obtains.

II really feel that a settlement Of the
strike is pending" SAID John slocum.
president Of the international Brotherhood
Of Blacksmiths, on Sunday. For that rea-
son l do not wish to discuss the matter
save in a general way, and l wish to say
absolutely nothing that will prejudice our
case with President Burt.
AT present my relations with him anil
those Of the other labor representative
who we're in New York also. are Of the
best possible character. / had never met
Mr.. Burt till that conference, and l found
him an affable, courteous gentleman. The
entire tenor of the conference was most
harmonious, and one might almost say cor
dial. Mr.. Cornish l found equally as agree
able as Mr.. Burt, and there was not one
single instance OF any disagreement or of
temper being shown on either side.
"Mr. Burt is of the opinion that this is
no time for any agitation OF the issues Of
the strike, and / agree with him there.
With this conference on and a settlement
in view, II is not sound judgment to launch
any %incendiary arguments. Now is the
delicate time and the time to remain quiet
and avoid any attack or any provoking OF
either side.
Must Hasten Conference.
"If the joint conference between the rep
resentatives Of the strikers and President
Burt cannot be resumed here before the
end Of the present week, the blacksmiths
will have their conference with the presl-
dent alone, in advance Of the rest. At
least, II Mr.. Burt is willing this will be
done.
81 must be in Washington on January
20 to attend a meeting Of the executive
committee Of the American Federation Of
Labor, and l must visit Kansas City be-.
fore going there. That doesn't leave me
much margin in Omaha and l cannot wait
till next week. I am very anxious to he
present at the conclusion Of the affair, and
so shall do all in my power to bring off
the conference this week.
"The original plan was TO have It a joint
affair with the blacksmiths, machinists,
boiler makers and boiler Makers helpers
all participating, as in New York City, but
il they cannot all get together by the mid
die OF the week l shall ask President Burt
to take us on In advance Of the rest.
"Of course, that will have no bearing on
the final result, as II has been understood
from the first that this thing was being
conducted Jointly, and hat the strike would
be settled for all or for none. Going in
alone will make no difference to our chances
one way or the other, as we are standing
with the rest, anyway.
THE difficulty with me is that I am the
only man in our organization paid for this
sort Of work, and l am compelled to divide
up my time between the various seats OF
trouble. There is a blacksmiths' strike on
now in Philadelphia, and the one on the
Wabash railway has Just been concluded.
l have not been in Omaha since July,
despite the fact that I should like to have
been here all during the course of the
strike, as this matter undoubtedly over
shadows all the others in Importance.
Piecework Grave Issue.
"It is the piecework proposition that
makes this strike Of so vast Significance.
The acceptance Of piecework on the Union
Pacific railway means that II will be in
stalled on every other railroad in the west
and south. It is hard to make our people
everywhere understand how important this
strike is, but in Chicago they realize 1t
fully. In the Northwestern shops there
they are already keeping the men along
certain lines of work, making specialists
out of them, getting them expert and rapid
in one particular line, and all In prepara-
tion for the possible advent Of piecework.
ION my return here after so long An
absence l am very we'll satisfied with the
attitude Of the men. They are just as
steadfast and single-minded as when they
began the strike. In fact, their attitude is
so satisfactory that the general union will
be ready to back them up indefinitely fur
Their II the present conference fails Of a
settlement of the difficulty.
"As for the officers, especially those who
took part in the New York session, l think
they are feeling a little mUre hopeful. II
anything, than before they went"
Edward F. Kennedy, president OF the To-
cal and district lodges of the boiler makers
has finally returned from New York City
wher he attended the conference. Mr.
Kennedy said that to him the prospect for q
settlement of the strike looked very good
He had not yet, however, sent for the rep
resentatives of the boiler makers from the
different points on the system. This would
seem to indicate that the boiler makers
will not be ready to confer with President
Burt this week, as this representation mus
be present.
Executive Committeeman Kline of tht
blacksmiths has his outside Representatives
all on hand, so that they can go to worl
in a conference at any time.
Are simply Perfect.
m KipgIa Na4 Ilfa pile Fara nnon.nR