The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-06-05
RESORT TO ARBITRATION.
GEORGIA FIREMEN AND RAIL.
ROAD OFFICIALS FAIL TO
AGREE.
Unsettled Points of Difference BE.
tween Strikers and Officials Will be
Passed Upon by Board of rbitra.
ton Whose Decision VIII be Final.

Atlanta, Ga, May 31.-Unable to
agree uopn the terms of settlement
the officials of the Georgia Railroad
and of the Brotherhood of Firemen
have invoked arbitration under the
Erdman law. 1t was near O'Clock
tonight when Commissioner of Labor
Neill and Chairman Knapp of the In
ter-State Commerce Commission re-
luctantly gave up the battle to bring
the warning elements together.
Commissioner Neill notified both
parties to the dispute to select an ar
bitrator within Ave days. These two
men will select third. The Erdman
act provides that should the two ar
bitrators be unable to agree upon
third member Of the commission he
Will be named by Chairman Knapp
and Commissioner Neill. The decision
Of the arbitrators is made binding
upon both parties by law.
AS expected, the disagreement came
over the retention of negroes. The
firemen first demanded the dismissal
OF all negroes. This was refused fat
ly by the railroad. After considerable
labor on the part Of Messrs. Neill and
Knapp the firemen submitted another
proposition. They agreed that those
negroes now employed or who were
employed prior to April 10 should be
retained on their present footing. Re-
cent promotions Of negroes had been
cancelled before the men returned to
work. They demanded that all white
firemen should have seniority over all
negroes. That Is, If white fireman
was employed today, he found rank
ahead Of all negroes, no matter how
long they were in the service, when Il
came to promotion to better runs. In
addition, they asked that at no time
should the number Of the negroes en-
ployed exceed 25 per cent. no more
were to be employed. It is said that
the Georgia Railroad might have con-
sented to this, were 1t not for the op-
position of the terminal company.
When it was seen that agreement was
impossible, the federal officials gave
up the fight and ordered that the dis
pute go to arbitration.
When the men returned to work
Saturday afternoon the road agreed
that the status Of April 10 should be
restored. 1t was upon that date that
the trouble began. The company had
then promoted several negroes to
good runs and removed white firemen
to make room for them. Already the
company has restored the white fire.
men to the runs they held on April
10. All other disputed points and de-
mands were conceded except the SEN
iority of white men and the limita-
tion as to the number Of negroes en-
ployed.
The white f1remen claim that negro
firemen are not held to a strict en-
forcement Of the. rules as are the
whites and they intimate that the
policy Of the road seemed to be to
discharge whites at every opportunity
and replace them with blacks who
get less wages. General Manager
Scott denies this and declares his will
lingness to agree to strict enforce
ment of all rules against the negroes.
The failure Of the parties to the
dispute to settle 1t themselves will not
affect the status quo. The men will
continue at work and say they are
confident they will win in the end.