Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-09
PRESIDENT BURT IS SILENT
Returns from New York, but Refuses to
Talk About the Strike.
CONFERENCE TO Be RESUMED NEXT WEEK
President sIocum of the Blncksmiths
Union Asks Representatives from
All striking Points to As
sembIe ia Omaha.

President Burt was in an unusually good
humor when he arrived yesterday morn
ing after his conference with labor Of
hcials in New York City relating to the
strike. II was with a smile and a buoyant
manner that he informed a reporter who
met him at Union station that there was
nothing to be said about the strike, as the
action taken by the conference was well
known and nothing could be added till the
reassembling here.
But there the afrability Of the railroad
president stopped. Having said pleasantly
that he didn't care to talk, he resented
further attempts to involve him in a con-
versation. He had stepped of the Overland
Limited train into the arms of a reporter
and the latter stuck as far as Tenth and
Farnam streets. After that first question
had been asked and answered. however,
Mr.. Burt became suddenly afflicted with
some aural difficulty and to all outward
appearance was unable to hear anything
that was being said to him. Queries ad-
dressed from a distance Of about two feet
awoke not a ripple Of recognition or con-
seriousness on his placid face. He simply
would not talk.
Mrs. Burt accompanied her husband and
was a silent but amused witness Of the
attempted extraction. The two went d.
rectly to their home on Thirty-ninth
street. Mr.. Burt came to the office later
in the day.
Conference I'm Omaha.
The arrival OF President Burt has started
the strikers guessing on what day the
conference will be continued here. Hardly
before the middle OF next week is the
general conclusion, as not all the parties
to Il will reach here before about Tuesday.
Z. F. Kennedy. president OF the local lodge
OF boiler makers, and Dave O'Donnell,
president OF the boiler makers helpers,
telegraphed that they would leave New
York last Wednesday, which should bring
them here Friday. John Slocum, president
OF the international Brotherhood Of Black
smiths, has notified Mr.. Kline here that
he will reach Omaha Saturday. Tom Will
son, fourth vice president Of the Inter-
national Association Of Machinists, has
some speeches to make and cannot get in
before Monday.
Very significant is considered the action
OF Mr.. Slocum in asking Mr.. Kline to as
semble here representatives of the black
ninth from all striking points by Saturday
TO present the cases of the individual loca-
tions. This is considered to show plainly
that the thing is all settled save the de-
tails, which the men themselves must ar
range. The blacksmiths will come from
Cheyenne and Kansas City and those at
Denver have asked Mr.. Kline to present
their case. Mr.. Slocum wishes them here
when he arrives. so hat he may have h
session with them before the conference.
Sam Grace's Opinion.
One doesn't need to be over optimistic
to see that there are nothing but favorable
deductions to be drawn from what has oc-
Cured" said Sam Grace. secretary OF the
district lodge OF machinists. The ad-
j%ourned meeting with the general commit
tees here was not the idea of the railroad
forces, but our own. We insisted on that
when our representatives went east. 1t is
only a logical proposition that a man from
each point where the strike is on would
form a body that would know in detail the
individual needs OF each point and the gen.
eral desires of all combined. These Item
ICED things the officials in New York City
in our behalf could not know so we'll. They
are very capable OF carrying on the nego-
tiations relative to reaching a settlement.
but when IL comes to arriving at Just what
the men want as terms, only the men them
selves from the locations involved can
know. The natural conclusion to reach is
that II has been agreed to nave a settle
ment, and now they are coming west to
have the men themselves dictate the
terma1