Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-02-01


Pursuant to adjournment. confer
ence convened at 9:15 a. m Monday.
Jan. 2Sth. and Mr.. Hannahan pre-
scented his reply in writing as fol
lows;
Answer to the Joint Protective
Board of the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Fireman and Enginemen of the
Norfolk & Western Railway to propo-
sition of Mr.. l.. f. Johnson, Presi-
dent
Reply to Question No 1
We can not consistently accept
the services of the President of the
Norfolk & Western Railway to arbi-
trate a proposition in which he him
self is directly interested.
Reply to Question No. 2:
We can not accept the services Of
Mr.. L. h. Johnston as an individual
for the same reason as given In an
swer to question No l.
Reply to Question No. 8:
We will agree to arbitrate the
question as to our rights Of repre-
sentation as agreed upon on October
I'd, 1903, becoming effective Novem-
Der 1st, 1903 and which we main
tain are at present in effect-the
Norfolk & Western Railway to Sc
lect one of an Arbitration Board of
three, the Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Firemen and Enginemen to Sc
lect another, the two thus chosen to
select the third; persons constituting
board to be DISTINGUISHED parties"
Thereupon, the Management OF the
Norfolk & Western Railway stated
that it had taken the position from
the beginning to the present time.
that this is not a question of con
troversy between the firemen and the
Railway; it is a controversy between
the two respective organizations, the
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Firemen
and the brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers; that the Company's ac-
ton in this matter has been that Of
mediator, having been willing to
accept any proposition for solution
of this question that was within the
bound OF reason. as 1t has so stated
repeatedly. Therefore, the Company
is not in a position to undertake to
arbitrate or to select an arbitrator.
If arbitration is used to settle this
question the method Of arbitration
should be decided between the two
Committees, 1t being the understand
ing of the Management that the fire
men positively decline undertaking to
form a Board Of Arbitration as sug-
gested by the Engineers Committee.
Mr.. Hannahan stated, I'VE certainly
object to and will not enter into any
negotiations whatever with one OF
the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
ginemen a party to such negotia-
tons" Mr.. stone announced that
he took the position differently
from Mr.. Hannahan, stating 81 be
lieve that the engineers and the
fireman of the Norfolk & Western
who are members OF our organiza-
tions have the right to have some
say in this and are interested, and
if any right should be questioned.
it IS the right OF the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen
to say what the general working
conditions Of either class OF labor on
the Norfolk & Western Railway
should be"
President Johnson then stated
We have now reached a point where
we have exhausted, so far as 7 can
determine. every effort to have this
question adjusted by the parties who
should adjust f., that IS. between
yourselves, and not by the Railway
Company take a firm and positive
stand I'm his matter and reiterate my
position that, to-day, nor has there
been since March 18th, 1906, any
agreemer or any ruling between the
Management OF tho Norfolk & Yves
tern Ra way and the frcmen. nor
between the Management Of the
Norfolk & Wertern Railway and the
engineers as 20 who snall leglslate
question that may arise Both Of
these rules were suspended and held
in Suspense until this question could
be finally settled
After further preliminary remarks
by him during which &C was stated
that the Railway Company will al
wa5s IN the futua as fin the past.
herr The grievance Of any individual
employc In person, President John
son announced that It had developed
ON him to say to the representatives