New-York tribune., 1905-02-21
NOT A JTST CAUSE.

There is much less chance Of fremens strike
on the New-York, New-Haven and Hartford
Railroad than there seemed to be at the end of
last week. if 1t is safe to put fair interpreta-
ton on the later utterances of the leaders who
have the brotherhood's interests in charge On
Saturday they gave encoura cement to the belief
that a rupture was almost unavoidable. Yes
terday and the day before they were at pains to
convey the impression that resort to arb1tra-
ton was probable, and said that in any event
strike would not be ordered for several days.
Thus far the public has not been permitted to
learn by just what means this change in the situ-
alton was produced. 1t is reasonable to suppose
that the attitude Of the engineers had some
thing to do with il. Their brotherhood had made
it known that they would stand by the company
in a particularly helpful way by instructing
green firemen in their duties and giving them
practical assistance if they needed it. The an
nouncement of that purpose can hardly have
failed to have deterrent effect on the minds of
the iremens leaders, but we hope that on fur
ther consideration they were also suitably i'm
pressed by the company's temperate and friend
ly justification of its course, which had been
laid before them at many conferences and which
was persuasively set forth in President Mellen's
statement published yesterday morning.
The company has had no quarrel either with
its fremen or its engineers, who, so far as ap-
pears, are satisfied with its treatment of them
in respect to all the matters out of which a
strike usually arises The controversy is be-
tween their respective brotherhoods, and relates
wholly to the adjustment of questions of dis
cipline The fremen contend that the interests
of engineers who are members of the firemen's
brotherhood should be settled with the company
by its representatives. The engineers brother
hood refuses to admit the propriety of that ar
and hot
is made against engineers who belong to the
fremen's brotherhood or are not members Of
either union. In the mean time the company is
bound by an agreement with the engineers-as
it Is by an agreement with the firemen-which
1t cannot violate and which the engineers are
not disposed to modify. The company is thus
seen to be in a position somewhat similar 10
that in which builders in this CITY were long
Kept by rival labor organizations fighting each
other at their expense. Moreover as Mr. Mel
lens frank and perfectly good tempered re-
hearsal OF the facts makes clear the officers of
The company have been patiently endeavoring
Tor eight months to facilitate an adjustment of
the controversy to which it was not party. nv
means OF an Independent arbitration board or
otherWlse. Reference is made to repeated in
'esugatons OF the question at issue following
amlcable but unsuccessful conferences and
there is ample evidence Of anxious care on tho
part oil the company to deal justly with all
classes of its employees at every stage of the dis
pUte.
Chder such circumstances strike would al
most certainly fail from the beginning to COM
mana public sympathy, while for other reasons
10 which we have alluded, the strikers would he
at serious disadvantage. 1t is to be boped m
all accounts that sober counsels will avail IN
prevent the temporary Inconvenience and the
perIuahent losses which would result from, III
advised action 'iN III