Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-21
DECLINE TO ARBITRATE
MACHINISTS REJECT PROPOSE
TON OF SOUTHERN RAILWAY.
Men Return Home With Strike Cues
ton Unsettled-Prospect of
Non-Union Shops.

All efforts to reach settlement Of the
disputed wage question that caused the
machinists employed in the Southern rail-
way shops to go on strike over two weeks
ago resulted in a failure. The machinists
yesterday evening declined the propost' on
of General Manager Spencer that the men
call the strike off and return to work. pend
ing the settlement of the questions In DIS
pute by arbitration. and the negotiations
were brought to a close. In declining the
proposition the machinists are understood
to have stated that they did so because the
Southern officials had treated the other en-
ployes of the system with more liberalty.
and they did not think 1t was just that they
should be called upon submit net CLAIMS
to arbitration. The effor,s to bring about
a settlement Of the question in dispute are
off permanently. and last night the larger
portion of the members of the committee
representing the striking mechanics re-
turned to their homes In the south.
Company Will Obtain Other Men.
It was authoritatively stated last night
that the committee representing the ma
chinists had declined that company's offer
of arbitration. The negotiations between
the company and the committee have ex
tended over a considerable time. and it
was thought that when the company made
it's offer of arbitration an early settlement
was in sight. The chance of an imme-
date settlement now seems to be at an
end, and it is understood the company
will EMPLOY other men to do its work
It will be recalled that the machinists
went out strike the 9Th instant, and that
the general manager of the railway COM
pany at once addressed a circular to the
men, which has been published, stating In
effect what the offer of the company was
and couched in what was conceded to be
70 nd 10
was followed by renewed negotiations be-
tween the committee representing the ma
chinsts and the company, and thereupon
an offer of arbitration was made by the
company as published yesterday. 1t is this
offer of arbitration that the committee has
declined.
President OConnell of the machinists had
nothing to say regarding the matter, except
that there had been a disagreement and
that the members of the committee had
gone home.
Out in Nearly ALI Shops.
The mechanics are out in practically
every machine shop on the Southern rail-
way system in the states OF Virginia,
North and South Carolina, Georgia, Ala
bama and Tennessee. in all 100 machinists,
apprentices and helpers having quit work
when the demand for an increase Of 2h
cents per hour was refused. With the de-
mand for an increase In pay was also
demand for a nine-hour day. but 1t is
stated that this was finally brought down
to a fiat request for an increase Of cents
per hour for the machinists and cent for
tho apprentices. This was the PROPOSE
ton that the railway officials met with q
counter proposition to submit the whole
matter to arbitration. which has been de-
clined by the men.
It is understood the Southern company
will try to fill its shops with non-unfon
men, and an effort will be made to resume
work as soon as possible. A high stockade
fence was built around the machine shop
at Alexandria several days ago. but 1t Is
not known whether the same thing was
done at the other shops of the system.
It is stated that the machinists have the
backing Of the International Association Of
Machlnists, which embraces all the union
workers in that line In the United States
Canada and other countries. and that the
international association will give financial
support to tho striking employees Of the
Southern road. 1t Is believed that efforts
will be made to have the questions in dis
quite reopened, and that another attempt
will shortly be made to bring about a set
Element OF the strike.