Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-16
u. S. MEDIATION
HALTS STRIKE OF
$4,000 FIREMEN
General Managers Make
Appeal and Commits
SiOners Consent
TO MEET IN CHICAGO
Prediction Is Made That
Arbitration Will End
Differences
TO MEET IN CHICAGO
ASSOCIATED Press1

~ HTCAGO, March 15-An immediate
strike of $1,000 locomotive fire.
~ men, the throwing out Of en-
ployment of more than 125,000 other
employees, and the temporary suspen-
sion of business on practically every
railroad between Chicago and the Pa
cifc coast was averted today through
the acceptance of offens for mediation
from the federal authorities.
At the request of the general man
ayers of the forty-seYen railroads in
volved, Chairman Knapp of the in
terstate commerce commission and
Commissioner of Labor Charles Z.
Nelll telegraphed an offer of media
tion to the union officials.
This offer was accepted, w. $. Car
ter, president of the Brotherhood or
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen,
stipuating. however, that action must
begin at once.
The appeal to washington was taken
as an eleventh hour move to prevent
a walkout, which it was declared
threatened the greatest railroad strike
since that Of 1894. Thirty-seVen men,
bers of the western federated board
of the brotherhood at midnight last
night formally voted for strike. Inc
hour for striking had been set for next
Monday morning, and the members
here were prepared to start for their
homes to put the strike into effect
when the mediation steps were taken.
Mediation in Chicago
1t is stipulated that the mediators
come to Chicago. According to Mr..
Carter, their function will be not to
arbitrate the matters in dispute, but
to determine what shall be arDltrated.
The main question involves wages.
which both sides have agreed upon as
arbitrable, and two other technical
points, involving promotion and rep
resentation in the union, which the
brotherhood contends are arbttrabie,
but which the railroad officials say
are not.
"If the mediation falls through, the
strike will go right on as planned,
said Mr.. Carter
contained in the following telegram
sent by the brotherhood to Messrs.
Neill and Knapp:
"Matters in controversy involve con-
ditions of employment and increase in
wages. Committee preparing 70 leaVe
city but if assurance is given that me-
! diation will begin Immediately and IN
the city of Chicago, authority for the
| men to leave the service of the COM
panies will be temporarily withheld.
The fact that we have proposed ar
hitration on all matters in controversy
and the fact that the managers COM
mittee has rejected our proposition
do not lead our men to expect a set
Element from mediation. but as evil
dence of our fairness will accept your
friendly offices under the condl-
fions named herein. Please answer
piyH,pl fSiqnedl "W. S. CARTER"
Letter to General Managers
The committee sent the following let
fer to the general managers:
'rW. C. Nixon, chairman general
managers committee; Dear sir-Your
letter of March 10 has been received,
In which YOU communicate the infor-
nation that the managers nave III,
volxed the aid of the Erdman act ana
the honorable chairman of the inter-
state commerce commission and the
honorable commissioner of labor nave
been requested by the managers 10
tender their good offices.
"This is to advise the managers
committee that the chairman OF the
Interstate commerce commission and
the commissioner of labor have ten
dered by wire their friendly offices III
an endeavor to settle, through media
ton. the pending controversy.
1.-THE proposition of our committee
that matters in controversy be sub
mitted to arbitration is the evidence or
the regard that we have for the inter-
ests of the public, and after giving the
matter further consideration our COM
mittee instructs me to notify the man
ayers that it has accepted the good OF
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