The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-11
WAGE SITUATION
NEARING CRISIS
---.------
Qouestin Of General Strike of
Railroad Trainmen Hinges'on
Conference at Baltimore.
BIG ROADS REFUSE
DEMANDS OF UNIONS
Brotherhood of Railroad ,Trainmen
and Conductors efthsts Time
is Ripe for Recognition7ofR /
Labor. = ~,

NEW YORK, Feb. 1.-THE wage
on the RAILROADS., east Of CHI
cago Is rapidly ~approacsifng Tsrstfrnt
stage On the conferences new In
progress tn BALTIMORE the officials Of
the Baltimore ard Ohio Railway and
the officials of the Brotherhood OF
Railroad Conductors may hinge the
OF a general strike, according
to the railroad men In this city.
Although all of the big railroads
in this city have unequivo-
cally rejected the demands made for
more wages, have invited another Of
fer Of check. none has been offered
by the unions. They state they are
waiting the outcome of negotiations in
Baltimore and the return to this city
of the grand chiefs OF the two broth
erhoods.
That the railroad officials realize
that there Is much at stake in the
conferences IL shown by the
refusal of the officials to make any
for publication suggesting
the probable outcome. An inspired
by an official of the New
York Central was given circulation to-
day, but It has failed to smooth the
feelings of the brotherhood men here.
In the statement 1t is alleged that
the Brotherhood OF Railroad Train
men and the Order of Railroad Con-
ductors throughout the country have
decided that the time Is ripe to COM
pei the complete recognition OF their
Heretofore the rail-
roads, with the exception Of the New
York, New Haven and Hartford. have
A.
these brotherhoods. but have insisted
that when committees are sent to
them to agree on the points of the
annual agreement these committees
must be exclusively composed of men
employed on the road with which the
negottations were held Al
The offctals Of the New York Cen
trA1 Jake the stand now, according
TO the statement given rirculAtton,
that the hrotheFhaeds. because OF the
agitation raised by the. high cost of
living. have decided to bring their
chiefs Into the limeight and force
complete recognition Of the unions
by having the new wage agreements
signed by the chiefs OF the organise.
tons. Recognition OF the union
rather than a large wage increase
Is declared by the railroad officials
to he the real thing the rnen want
and they have concealed this behind
exorbitant demands for Increased
wages and Standardization Of hours
which they had reason to believe
would be refused.
When the railroads declined, the
radical wage change suggested by
the men. 1t Is declared here, the
brotherhood chiefs went to Baltimore
to take the question up with the
Baltimore and Ohio II Is asserted by
the railroad officiais here that the
Baltimore and Ohio was selected as
the road to work on because Its men
are the poorest paid In the east, its
schedules the most trying and its
officials of a character that would
at least give the union demands con-
sideration.
IL the union could get recognition
and a fair wage increase from the
Baltimore and Ohio. II is believed by
the union leaders. the other roads
would fall In limo and the great bat
tie OF securing recognition would be
won II the road refused TO treat
~'ith the union. strike could be-
system and a set OF grievances could
be made public which would abso-
iuteiy bring public support OF the
position OF the men. This would be
half of the battle, the union leaders
are declared to believe.
1t is admitted here to-day that
until the Baltimore and Ohio matter
Is disposed of one way or another
there will be no action by any Of the
other roads. Although the men nre
growing impatient and declare that
they should have an agreement
reached In their behalf with their
employers. II Is certain they will be
held In check by the local chiefs
until word comes from Baltimore.
Question Of Union Recognition.
NJ c. Slattery, chairman u the
committee of conductors who called
on the officials OF the New York rCep-
trail Railroad recently. declared to-
day that the big proposition which
Grand Chiefs Lee and Garfefnpia. Of
the trainmen and conductors, have 10
settle at Baltimore ID the question Of
union racognition. HA donl9rndzthal
they went 70 BA1ttmore under 1t1eUos
lions 70 treat - yopreoeneA&sy 81
the Gaetoyn executive cosaGAttteo tOI
the trAlhmen and eondu0Anf and
said that one Of the reAoCmo that
the Baltimore negotiations zhAto; M
been completed was the uny14lliu-
ness OF the BAltimCrof and @Ot1O OF
cials to deal directly With the &ann6
chiefs. He stated. however thaks II
LAST report received herr 49, khatE I
satisfactory agreement - a bek1Ad5 :
The New York ConttAtf nccordink
70 slattery, q ready ~ col,fi,ssss, ne
gotiations with the meh. brk ~ stAt-
"a 4 4. y i 4