The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-28

T. r.
misunderstood Mr.. Bancroft. He is en-
phatic in his statement that he read TO
Mr.. Bancroft the communicate 4 submit
ted to him by the committee AMI that Mr..
Bancroft. after listening to its reading.
stated that the terms therein contained
would be acceptable to the company. Mr..
Thompson then, as reported in your pa
per this morning. notified the committee
Of Mr.. Bancroft's verbal acceptance
carried the message from Mr.. Thompson
to Mr.. Pratt myself. That is ali there is
to say, think, with regard to Mr.. Thomp-
sons connection with the negotiations
Mr. Bancroft's Statement.
W. H. Bancroft, president of the Utah
Light & Railway company, said yester-
day afternoon, after the end of his con-
ference with Mayor Thompson: The
company stands exactly on the proposal
made originally to arbitrate the wage
question, agree to make the award effect
i've for one or two years. as the men may
choose, and protect every man concerned
in the present agitation from any dis
elimination because of his activity. That
has been our position right along We are
perfectly willing to have the men appoint
one of their number, or any citizen not
an official of a labor union. to represent
them in arbitration; we are willing to
have them call any one they please TO
present their case to an arbitration board
Unfortunately Mayor Thompson has
misunderstood the situation. He came to
me Friday with a memorandum which he
read to me and asked me if l would not
be willing to arbitrate future differences
il they could not be settled amicably with
representatives OF the men. | told him
that my action In the present case showed
/ was willing to arbitrate serious dlIter-
ences when they arose and that ! nae
no objection TO arbitration. But did not
and do not expect TO agree TO any ar
rangement which provides in advance Tor
the arbitration of unknown grievances, or
offers an excuse for raising questions
which cannot be fOreseen.
To Arbitrate Wage Scale.
1.-The men themselves. through their
committee which conferred with me, SAID
they had no grievances now except the
wage scale. We offer to arbitrate that.
They have everything to gain and nothing
to lose, because the arbitration would nor
consider a question of a lower scale and
whatever award might be made would
either give the men as much as they get
now or else raise their wages That
seemed q fair proposition to me; but am
not now. nor have / been. willing TO make
an arrangement which would enable the
men. or their committee. to raise other
questions besides the scale within day
or a week after the scale had been arol-
trated.
Mayor May Have Misunderstood.
II do not understand how the. mayor
could have misunderstood my posltlon on
this; / did not make any written or YER
bal statement to him that could properly
have been construed as he seems to have
understood things; / had repeatedly re-
fused to consider any other arbitration
than the plan outlined to him on Thurs
day and to the citizens committee on the
same day. And while | should regret
trouble / do not see at this time how any
more could be asked of the company than
it stands ready to concede-
Others Call Meeting.
L. Lynn, secretary of local division No.
81 of the International Brotherhood OF
Electrical Workers, and district president
of that organization, yesterday received a
telegram from NJ. ]. Sullivan of San Fran
cisco. grand vice president. authorizing
him to act for the international body in
all matters pertaining to the electrical
workers grievances. These grievances in
ciude refused demands upon the light de-
partment of the Utah Light & Railway
company and upon the Rocky Mountain
Bell Telephone company. Mr.. Lynn says
Mr. Sullivan himself cannot come TO SAT-
Lake at this time. A special meeting OF
local president, r. G. Whitehead, for
o'clock this afternoon in Electrical Work
ers' hall
At 2:SO o'clock a special meeting of the
Utah Federation OF Labor will be held
in Federation hall. The call has been
issued by D. I. Elton.
At both of these meetings the street
car situation will be discussed. The fed
grafton has pledged its moral and finan-
cial support to the street car operatives
and has Endorsed the policy of Mr.. Pratt
and his associates. The electrical workers
also have the support of the federation.