The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-04
COMPLETE T|E-UP. NO Wine FOR HER
Greatest Railway Strike in Ma Madame
tions History Is Threatened. Disappointed Topeka
General Walk Out Every Find No Smulant for
in the Country the Great Singer
UNIFORM DEMANDlSHE WAS so COLD.
vi IO Fer Cent increase in Had Ridden Frgd
wages TO be Made Kansas City,
BY Engineers Fremen Refuses to See Renorters Re-
men and SW1tehmen. causeIt Hurts Her Voice.
Greatest Railway Strike in Ma.
ti0n's History Is Threatened.
General Walk Out on Every Line
in the Country.
UNIFORM DEMAND
OF a 10 Per Cent Increase in
Wages to Be Made.
BY Engineers, Firemen, Train
men and Switchmen.

Chicago, Dec. 4.-The Tribune this
| morning says:
''The United States is threatened
with the greatest railroad strike in the
history of the nation.
Practically every railway line in
the country, east and west, is in
imminent danger of being completely
tied up by walk out on the part of
| a large number of its operating en-
ployes this month.
Officers of the organization of en-
| gineers, firemen, trainmen and switch
men have agreed upon a uniform de-
mand of a 10 per cent wage increase,
without deviation or compromise.
"That the crisis is approsc ching
rapidly is Indicated by the announce
| ment at New York by officers of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
that they would present their de-
mands on the eleventh of this month,
and the wage conferences will begin
on the fifteenth. Although every
effort will be made to avert general
strike it is impossible to predict what
the outcome of the conferences will
be-
Both the railroads and the leaders
! Of organized labor among the railroad
mployes are preparing for the strug-
gle, which when it once begins will
without doubt develop into one of the
greatest Industrial battles that has ever
reen fought in this or any other land.
The attitude of the leaders on both
eides of the dispute which menaces
| the industrial peace of the country is
| at the present time that of iron stub
| hornness.
while it is known that it is not the
plan of the leaders in the railroad
| labor organizations to call out all the
| men at one time. their intention is
said to be, by those who are acquaint-
co with their plans, to call out suff1-
| cient men on each big system to make
operation a practical impossibility
This means that over million men
will engage directly in battle with
The railroads unless some fortunate
.rcumstance arises to avert the trou-
He. More than 10000 miles of rail-
road track will cease to bear their
burdens of freight and passengers with
the consequent paralyzing effects on
| The commerce of the country, unless a
settlement is reached quickly.
$50 serious has the situation be-
ccme, that early this week the railroad
presidents quietly notified the largest
shippers along their lines that they
{ nd the shippers SO notified, including
miners of coal, manufacturers, job
! ers. and shippers of grain and other
foodstuffs, have been exerting them
selves to the utmost to lay in the
necessary stocks and distribute their
products into the consuming centers." ]"
The Switchmen's Strike.
ST. Paul, Dec. with both sides
expressing confidence as to the out
come, the fourth day of the switch
mems strike began with no apparent
Progress made toward settlement of
the controversy.
While the switchmen still claim to
have the situation in hand, the rail-
ways have been making headway by
heir steady importation of new men
to take the places of the strikers and
today they promise to handle more
freight than at any time since the
strike began.
They claim that as soon as all of the
1ew men now on their way arrive and
become familiar with the yards, nor
nal conditions will be established.
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