Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-28

resentatives of the trainmen and con-
ductors decided today that they will
ignore the proposition Of the general
managers looking to arbitration I'M
der the Erdman act, and voted to
persist in their preparations for
strike. They declared that walk
out is imminent unless the mana
gers make some further concessions.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO, Ill, March 2s.-With the most
gigantic railroad strike in history threat
ened, the general managers of more than
forty western systems, embracing $4,000
miles of trackage. demand governmental
interference in order that the entire railway
business of the west may not be paralyzed.
A formal demand will be made at Washing
ton for arbitration under the Erdman act
When arbitration suggested yesterday
by the committee of general managers in
conference with the representatives of the
Brotherhood of Railway Tranmen and the
Order of Railway Conductors the employees
fatty refused to arbitrate. Following are
the important points in the threatened
trouble:
Unions involved, Order of Railway Con-
duetors and Brotherhood of Trainmen
Number of men involved, 5000.
Number of roads affected, -.
Miles of trackage to be tied up, $4,000.
Annual payrolls of roads involved $500
100000
Defense funds of two organizations, ST.
100000.
Original wage increase asked, 10 per cent.
Modified demands, Il per cent.
Concessions granted by the roads, 101a
Yer cent.
Percentage of employees voting to strike So.
Total membership OF organizations, 1885,
OOO.
Membership of o. r. c., 1900.
Membership of b. r. T., $1,000
The Committees Statement.
The committee of managers has an
Qounced it's action in the following state
ment: THE committee OF managers re-
ceived an official notification OF the vote of
the conductors and tra.nmen rejecting the
last proposition of increase amounting
TO 1852 per cent in wages, and also au-
thorizing u strike in settlement
OF the matters at issue could be effected.
The committee, accepting this a con-
clusion of the negotiations, has notified
Messrs. Garrettson and Morrissey that it
will demand arbitration under the Erdman
act"
The Erdman act has rarely been used in
the settlement OF labor disputes. 1t was
adopted by Congress III 1858, taking its
name from the representative who intro
dUCed IL. 1t is entlIled. An act concern
ing carriers engaged in interstate com
merce and their emp-Vyes, and provides:
That Whenever controversy concern
ing wages hours of labor, OF conditions
OF employment snail arse between a car
rier subject to This act ana the employees
of such carrier. serious interIuptIng or
threatening to interrupt the business of
said carrier, the chairman OF the Interstate
commerce commission, and the commits
siOner Of labor shall, upon request of either
party the controversy, Use their best
efforts by mediation and Cancellation to
settle the same; and il such efforts be
successful, shall at once endcavor To bring
about an arbitration N accordance with
the provisions of this act.
Martin \. Knapp, chairman OF the inter-
state commission, ana Charles L. Neill.
United states commissioner of labor, have
been notified by the general managers
committee and it is expected they will
take immediate action under the law.
At the Behest of Labor.
The statute does not, strictly speaking,
make arbi ration compulsory, but il car
ries the weight of having been enacted at
the behest of labor, and IT'S provisions and
processes are generally regarded as fair to
both sides.
r. IL. Morrissey, grand master of the
Trainmens Brotherhood, says that "a strike
is inevitable.
There probably Will be a strike" said
he. 1T is hardly necessary to explain
why. Our demands have been refused
after more than twenty conferences with
the railroads. BY great majority our
men have voted To strike under these
conditions. If | did anything else than
call the men out would be misrepresent-
ing instead of representing my organza-
ton"
Mr.. Morrissey declared one thing alone
could stay a strike order-the yielding of
the roads 10 the demands of the men He
said overtures must come from the manag-
ers.
With his associates around him. Mr.. Nor
rissey at night began to lay h-s plans. Tele-
grams were sent to his aids in other cities