Evening star., 1909-06-03
To STRIKE
MaChinists on the B. & o. Di-
rected to Go Out.
OPPOSED TO PIECE WORK
Men Object to the Extension of the
System.
OVER 1900 WILL BE INVOLVED
Employees at Wheeling Will Not
Quit-oficials Claim They Are
Able to Cope With Situation.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special DlspatcH 10 ne StdT.
BALTIMORE. Md. June 3-All ma
chinists on the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road system have been ordered on strike
at o'clock this afternoon. The orders
will probably involve about $50 men at
once. The strike is against the piece
work system.
Within a day or two the boilermakers,
steamfitters and blacksmiths may go out,
when there will be about $500 men in
volved Sealed orders were sent out &c
the various delegates Of these organiza-
tions several days ago, with instructions
that they were not to be opened until the
receipt of a telegram which would au-
thorize it. This telegram was sent las,
night by James OConnell, president OF
the international Machinists, as follows:
We expect to meet highest officials of
the Baltimore and Ohio at New York to-
day." which is the code for the following
order: :.
"All machinists on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad are going on strike Thurs
day, June 3. at pm"
The international associations Of black
smiths, boilermakerS and steamhtterS are
now getting their vice presidents on the
scene in the various shops as rapidly as
to be on the job they. too. will be called
out on strike, it is stated by the leaders
|of the labor organizations.
The members of the allied trades on the
Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern will not
become involved unless the railroad COM
pany sends it's locomotives to the shops
on that road for repairs, the leaders OF
the strikers announce. If this action is
taken by the company, the allied trades
on this road, it is stated, will then be
called out also.
Piece Work Causes Strike.
| The strike. which is about to extent
over the entire system of the Baltimor'
and Ohio proper, is the direct outcome o
| the strike of the machinists at the Noun
| Llare shops, which was Instituted abou
three weeks ago in their effort to hav
the piece-work system abolished. Tn
points affected by the strike are Balti
more, Cumberland. Md; Piedmont. w
| Va; Grafton, w. Va; Wheeling, w. Va.
Parkereburg, w. Va; Newark. Ohio
Cleveland. Ohio; New Castle. Pa; Glen
wood, Pa; Chicago, keyser, w. Va, ane
McMechen, w. Va.
| The piece-work system. against which
| the men ara striking, was installed by
| eral Superintendent. In speaking of the
strike A. +. Stark, business representa-
tive of District No. %, which comprises
| all the shops on the Baltimore and Ohio
system, stated:
I'VE would not have been so ready to
call a general strike had 1t not been FOL
| the fact that we learned through an ennis
sary that certain official was bitterly op
posed to organized labor and also deter
mined to introduce the piecework system
over the entire road.
| The members of the Machinists' Asso
| citation are jubiant over the fact thai
during the present trouble it is claimed
| they were successful in outWltting an Of
fetal who had refused to receive com
mittee from the Mount Clare strikers. by
getting a supposed disinterested person
| to secure an audience with the said Off
cial to whom the railroad man displayed
| his hand, which information was given tC
| the strikers.
Conferences Without Result.
| Committees were then brought here from
various other shops on the system and q
number of audiences were had with both
Mr. Harris and Third Vice President Pot
| ter, but without results. A final effor
was made yesterday when president of th'
International Associations of Machinists
Blacksmiths and Boilermakers. respect
| lively, were in conference with Mr.. Pot
| ter to try to get that official to sign what
is known as working agreement of the
federated trades.
| At the Baltimore and Ohio executive
offices here today it was stated the com
pany was fully prepared TO cope with the
situation at all points. and that more
| than enough men had been sent to Cum
| berland to take the places of the ma
chnists who went out there yesterday.
Refuse to Obey Order.
| WHEELING, w. Va. June 3.-Tht
| general order of a strike for Baltimore
and Ohio railroad machinists received
| here today will not be obeyed it is said
| The local union last night voted against d
| strike.
Machinists at mberland Strike.
| CUMBERLAND, Md, June 3.-Abou1
sixty machinists and helpers employee
| in the shops of the Baltimore and Ohio
| railroad struck late yesterday afternoon
| The night force also went out, and the
| shops are reported idle. Suot. Blasel
| says twelve machinists and sixteen help
ers Of the day force refused to strike. but
| machinists say only five of the old mer
stayed in, and that they were not urged
/ TO strike. Company officials say they
| can fill every place in twenty-four hours