Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-04


is threatened with the greatest railroad
strike in the history of the
nation. Practically every railroad
line in the country, east and
west, is in imminent danger of being
completely tied up by walkout ON
the part of large numbers of its oper-
ating employees this month.
Officers of the organization of en-
gineers, firemen, trainmen, and switch
men have agreed upon uniform de-
mand of a 10 per cent wage increase,
without deviation or compromise.
Both the railroads and the readers of
organized labor among the railroad en-
ployes are preparing for the struggle,
which when it once begins will with
out doubt develop into one of the great
est industrial battles that has ever been
fought in this or any other land. The
attitude of the leaders on both sides
of the dispute which menaces the in
dustrial peace Of the country is at the
present time that of iron stubborn
ness.
While it is known that it is not the
plan of the leaders in the railroad or
ganizations to call out all the men at
one time their intention is said to be,
plans, to call out sufficient men on
each big system to make operation a
practical impossibility.
Milian Men Will Be Involved.
This means that over million men
will engage directly in battle with
the railroads unless some fortunate cir
cumstance arises to avert the trouble.
More than 100000 miles of railroad
track will cease to bear their burdens
of freight and passengers, with the
consequent paralyzing effect on the
commerce of the country, unless a set
Element is reached quickly
So serious has the situation become,
that early this week the railroad pres
idents quietly notified the largest ship
pers along their lines that they had
best prepare for an emergency, and
the shippers so notified, including
miners of COAL manufacturers, jobbers
and shippers of grain and other food
stuffs, have been exerting themselves
to the utmost to lay in the necessary
into the. consuming centers.
AT first only a few of the largest
shippers were apprised of the actual
seriousness of the situation, but grad
ually the rumor is growing. so that it
is expected that a general scramble
will ensue on the part of all shippers
to prepare themselves as we'll as they
can.
Crisis Expected by Roads
Railroad officials in Chicago and
elsewhere have been worried for sew
cral weeks over the situation and have
admitted many times that they expect
ed demands from almost all classes of
railroad employees for wage increases
during the winter.
The formal demands made on the
railroads have thus far been few as far
as great railroad labor organizations
are concerned, but individual organiza-
tions on various railroads both east
and west have been unusually insistent
in presenting their annual requests for
establishments of the wage scales
While these have in most instances in
cluded few important demands. for In
creases, they have invariably asked 70,
Improvements in working conditions
or for better overtime arrangements
that amounted to increased pay.
| The first formal demands for In
creased wages on large scale cam
| from the conductors and trainmen, IN
Guiding brakemen, on the railroads cas-
of the Illinois Central and north of tn
Chesapeake and Ohio late in October
The demands We're made by the mem
bers Of the brotherhood of Railroa,
Trainmen and the Order OF Railway
Conductors, two of the strongest an,
most powerful OF the four railroa.
brotherhoods.
COMMITTEES Decides on Action.
The general committee Of chairmel
for the eastern district met in Bosto,
in September and decided to submit
a proposition to demand an increas
to-the men. The proposal was put to
vote, concluded some time in October
and WAS approved. At about the sam