Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-03-28
Railroad Men Present De-
mands and Decide After
Conference Not to
Arbitrate
THIS WEEK MAY SEE
HOSTILITIES BEGIN
Union Leaders This Morn
ing Submitted Ultimatum
to Officials and Await
Answer

CnlcaSo, March 27-'NO ar01tr0.
ton" is the ultimatum decided upon
by the representatives Of the train.
mems and conductors unions last
night, who are conducting the negotia.
tions of the men in the impending
strike against forty-two big western
railroad systems.
The union leaders held a meeting
during the evening, at the end Of
day In which no progress had been
made by either side, although the
strike situation had become acute
during the afternoon, when the union
representatives met the general man.
ayers committee Of the railroads In
conference. That meeting however,
adjourned without even attempting
settlement.
At 10 o'clock this morning there was
another meeting, at which the de-
mands 9f the men were presented to
the emnI yers wit thois q err Surnalt Tho
latter Will be sgVen b Reasonable time
to make the Concessions asked for.
1t is said that should refusal follow
hostilities may commence before the
end of the week.
Both sides are maneuvering for ad.
vantage, both are carefully studying
their opponents position for vulner.
able points, both are trying to learn
the exact strength of the other, and
both are doing their best to conceal
their plans and their power, not only
from each other but from the public
as well.
Neither Side Yields Point.
Neither side yielded a point to the
other at yesterdays conference. The
general managers committee intimat-
ed that they thought arbitration de-
eirable, and that while they have full
power to settle the strike they were
hampered by restrictions from their
superiors limiting the concessions
they might make.
The trainmen and conductors care
fully refrained from showing their
hand other than to imply that 1t was
o "stand pat" proposition that must
be met squarely by the railroads.
It was not shown that either side
had the power to recede from Its for
mer position, as established by the re-
cent conference which ended when the
leaders Of the men spurned all con-
cessions offered by the general mana.
gers committee an decided to ask the
rank and file for instructions and
power to order a strike IL one proved
necessary.
Situation Is Unprecedented.
Never in the history of Industrial
demands has similar situation
arisen The men, organized into
unions of allied occupations and pre-,
senting solid front to the powerful
railways Of the west, northwest and
southwest, affecting one-third Of the
entire railway interests Of the nation,
and holding an unknown force in their
control, have caused the railroads to
exercise precautions against drawing
that force into action.
| Each side states that there will be
no strike. Each side went into yester.
days meeting with the full knowledge
Of its own power, and held 1t up to the
other in diplomatic parleying. Both
agreed that the public should not be
taken into their confidence, no matter
how much public opinion might infiu.
ence the final outcome Of the present
difficulty.
This morning the parties to the
controversy will again meet In the
Auditorium and the general managers
committee will be formally notified
that the demands must be accepted or
rejected by certain time. It is not
expected that the actual hostilitiea
will be deferred beyond this week, un.
less some pressure Is brought to show
the reasonableness OF delay. The chair.
men of the grievance committees Of
the several lines expect to leave Chi.
cago before the end OF the week either
i to go back to their constituents with
message of success or a demand for
a walkoht.
Flremen's negotiations Blocked.
In the meantime the Brotherhood oi
Z. Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen
/ who have been in conference for ths
past month with committee appoin,,
ed by the officials of the same RAJ
Continued on page 81