The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-28
Railroads will Appeal to United
States Government.
General Managers to Ask Uncle
Sam to Arbitrate.
UNDER ERDMANN ACT.
Vote of Unions Announced as
Rejecting All Offers.
Other Items of Interest to
Railway People.


Chicago, March 2S-The United State
government will be asked to intervcI;'
to prevent a strike of the conductor
and trainmen on the western railroads
and if the plans of the general man
ayers do not miscaIry the whole cor.
troversy Will be submitted to arbitra-
ton for settlement. Late last night
the general managers gave out state
ment declaring they will demand ar
bitretion under the Erdmann act. A
strike of the men would interfere with
interstate commerce. the railroad OIL
Gals believe that they can prevent d
strike by asking the government to
step in and take command of the stu
alton.
The Erimann act passed in 1898 pro-
vfdes for the arbitration of labor diff
culties, where interstate commerce. is
involved, by the chairman of the IN
terstate commerce commission and the
commissioner Of labor.
Inc general managers statement
given out late last night follows:
Late -hls afternoon the committee
OF managers received an Official mott
ncauon of the vote of the conduct ors
ana trainmen rejecting the last pro-
position of an increase amounting to
1O12 per cent in wages and also auth
orizlng strike in case no settlement
OF the matters at issue could be af-
fected.
The committee accepting this as n
conclusion Of the negotiations has no
tined Messrs- Garretson and Morris
sey, the leaders of the two labor or
CARNATIONS involved. that they Will
demand arbitration under the Erdmann
act
Chicago. March 2S.-The $4,000 train
men OF tho western railroads seem
nearer a strike than at any time since
the negotiations with the general man
ayers for an increase in wages and a
shorter. work day were started two
months ago. The conference Yesterday
between the representatives of the men
ana the railroad officials lasted fou-
hours, but was a failure so far as
bringing about solution of the t1ou-
bic.
The railroads offered the men in
creaseS OF per cent to passenger con-
ductors and 10 per cent to the minor
employees, including bra kemen, french,
pagsagemen and allied workers The
men had demanded an increase of II
per cent and a nine hour work day,
ana when the officials declared that
their offer was the best that could be
made the conference ended as the men
py a referendum vote taken last week
decf1ed not to accept anything short
or their original demands.
Immediately after the conference
broke up the representatives Of the
-
Visibility of calling a strike in order
20 bring the railroads to terms. Just
what decision was reached is not
known as the union men declined to
ClscusS what had taken place at the
meeting They were a unit, however
in declaring a Peaceable settlement of
the controversy can only be reached by
the general managers Offering conces-
eions- Another meeting of the unIcn
men has been scheduled for today and
the general belief is that a strike will
be called within the next As hours I'M
less the railroad officials request an
quest another conference to try and
settle the matter without resortins to
a fight.
P. H. Mcrrissey. chief of the train
mems orga nization said:
I'VE have been instructed by ths
men We represent to call a strike UNI
less the offer of the roads was salts
factory to US. The vote by which this
attitude was reached carried the strike
propc sition by a tremendous ma tority.
We are not satisfied and the men are
not satisfied. We are not going to ASK
for any more conferences at the general
managers 1t is up to these gentlemen
now to prevent the men quitting work
and the only way they can do this Is
TO accede to our demands"
A B. Garretson, chief of the conduc-
tors, also declared that no further cor
ferences would be held with the gen
eTaI managers.
The railroad officials are not quite so
peSS1mlSllc over the situation. When
the men were declaring a strike was in
evitable. Secretary SlasSon Thompson
of the General Managers association |
said:
I'VE have not yet given up hope of i
a pea ceable adjustment of the difficulty. /
We have conceded a great deal to thc |
men already and it would seem to be |
but a matter of a short time until the |
union officials Will see their way clear |
to accepting the general managers |
proposition, 1 am of the opinion that I
the conference which ended in nothing |
today will be resumed again within |
the next two days and that some sort |
of an agreement viii be reached"
A strike would tie up all business on |
the following forty-nine railroads:
Atchisons Topeka & Santa Fe, Atchi-
son Topeka & Santa Fre coast lines
Burlington,
Canadian Pacific, Canadian Northern,
Chicago & Northwestern, Chicago & AL
ton, Chicago Great Western, Chicago,
& st. Paul, Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific. Chicago. st. Paul,