Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-04
STRIKE DIFFERENCES
TO Be ARBITRATEO
Efforts to Effect a Settlement
Were Abandoned When. General
Manager Scott Declined to Give
Immediate Seniority.

! Refusal Monday afternoon by Genera
Manager Scott, of the Georgia road to
grant seniority TO the firemen employed
by the road ended hopes of settlement bys
mediation, and resulted in the differences
between the road and the firemen being
referred 70 arbitration under, the Erdman
act tr. y y
Manager Scott agreed that there shopld
be future seniority, but no seniorttys for
The present. apparently he acceded tosa
proposition that is believed to have been
made Monday morning by representatives
OF the firenen, but notwithstanding IL
was announced at o'clock in the even
ing that all hopes of a settlement through
mediation are at an end.
Manager Scott left the city Monday
night without having given any intima-
ton as to whom he is to appoint.
Vice President Ball says that since II
was Manager Scott who first appealed TO
arbitration, IL should be Manager Scott
who first announces the appointment oil
committeeman.
In addition, Vice President Ball has not
decided finally whom he will appoint. he
has. five or six names in mind but those
of Attorney Arnold and Congressman
Hardwick seem to stand hlghest' Ei'hel
would probably serve. .,....-,. .,-~r-,
when one committeeman has been APP
nointed by the road and one by the ire
men. these two will attempt to agree mp
on a third. II they fail, the appointment
of the third man will be made by Martlh
/ A. Knapp, chairman of the interstate
commerce commission; and Charles r.
Neill commissioner of labor. .-
QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED. ,
Following are the questions that the
committed on arbitration VIII consider:
Shall white firemen on the Georgia
/ road have seniority over negro hremen
Shall the percentage of negro hremen
be restricted? -at..r.- 1lN
Shall any negro hremen at all be en-
ployed by the Georgia road? r-.s
Shall firemen of the Georgia road De
compelled to flag from Harralsonville to
| Augusta? .s -4g
These questions limit the work of the
| committee. 1t will not deviate from
| them. .t4 80. ~, 90
This committee will sit as court
with the power of court. Its near
J fngs will be public, at least such will De
the demand of the firemen. r-.
For a year there can be no appeal
from this decision. On the points that
have been settled, no strike can De oe-
clared and no objection raised Record OF
/ the proceedings will be hled IN the
| United States court and kept as court
records, s.
/ TWO PROPOSITIONS.
| In the morning the firemen submitted
two propositions to Chairman Knapp ana
| Commissioner NELL. The first asked LOT
! the complete elimination of the negro
| from, the Georgia road as firemen. IL was
| declared to be out of the question, ana a
second proposition was submitted. Is
| understood on the best of authority that
/ this second proposition simply amounted
/ ~ this: that negro flremen now employed
4 faf their present
| footing but that all white firemen of the
| Georgia road should have seniority over
any future negro employees. 1t was also TO
4 be stipulated that the percentage or ne
gro employees, should be kept below TWEEN
| ty-hve per cent.
| Manager Scott is believed to have
| agreed to the first half of this proposition
! Monday afternoon. But it failed to re-
suit in a settlement. 1t is believed that
there was a change of decision on the
| part of the firemen ana that rather than
| take this proposition as a basis of settle
ment they would let their case go. before
an arbitration committee.
| Their position now is that to agree TO
seniority over only those negroes that are
to be employed hereafter, while negroes
now employed shall retain an equal foot
/ ing with Write hremen, would mean that
for ten or fifteen years there would be
| practically no seniority Tor Wnlte nreInen'
1t is presumed that when arbitration
begins, the committee that has been ap-
pointed Will meet here, though this is a
| thing that has not been discussed
| ONLY TEN DAYS ALLOWED.
For the appointment of their commit
teemen, the road and the firemen shall
have a reasonable but not specified length
|, of time. After these two men have been
| selected they shall have five days in
which TO agree on third. Should agree
ment not then be reached, the appoint
| ment OF the third shall be made by Chair
man Knapp and Commissioner Neil.
i Within ten days after II is announced that
arbitration is necessary, proceedings must
| be begun.
When it was seen Monday afternoon
that mediation was impossible, Chairman
Knapp and Commissioner Neil made
! preparations to leave Atlanta, and depart
ed at midnight for Washington. If 1t is
necessary for them to appoint a third
committeeman they will do so from there.
General Manager Scott. of the Georgia
road, left Monday night for Augusta, .