The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-16
Pennsylvania Officials and Emp|oyes Are As Far
 Apart As Ever
STRIKE IS POSTPONED
 IN HOPE OF AGREEMENT
Representatives of Railroad Employees Have Delayed Calling n Strike for About Twelve Hours to
 Await Developments

Philadelphia, July 15-Nothing developed in the wage controversy between the con- ductors and trainmen on the Pennsyl- vana lines east of Pittsburg and the of fcers of the company today that would indicate that the breach between the two parties is closing. The general commit tee of the railroad men didn't meet the officers of the company and nothing has passed between them since negotiations were broken off late yesterday after noon.
 Rumors that were in circulation all day that strike would be called sometime tonight were quieted by A. B. Garretson, president of the Order of Conductors, who said no strike would be called be- tween tonight and o'clock tomorrow morning. He declared that he did not mean that one would be called at that hour, but fixed o'clock as the time up to which nothing would happen.
 MT. Garretson would not say that strike would be called tomorrow, con- tenting himself wicn the statement that he did not know when a strike order would be issued.
 The general committee of the employees held several meetings today behind closed doors. and as usual nothing was given out as to what transpired Ru- mors that a new proposition might be made or that the committee might make some other move gained circulation but could not be confirmed.
 McCrea's Statement
 President James McCrea for the first time since the present controversy came out tonight in signed statement, giving the companies side of the controversy It was addressed to stockholders of the company, its employees and the public. He said the dernaifds of the men we're un- fair and a penalty for former liberal treatment of it's, employees.
 President Garretson also gave out statement tonight in which he said that all the men insisted upon was that the code of rules that obtained upon every other railroad in the country should apply on the Pennsylvania without reduction in the present rate of wages
 President McCrea's statement says: Tt should be clearly understood that it is not less hours of labor demanded by the conductors and trainmen. but on the con trary what they do demand is more money for every hour they work than is paid by other railroads in this territory"
 Calling attention to the awards made on other railroads in the east Mir Mo Crea said: These awards have been ac- cepted by all other lines in the eastern territory and the trainmen state that the rates are considered by them as stand ard, and while the company has expressed willingness to go to- the ten-nour basis and at the same rate as other Ines have in effect under these arbitration awards, 1t cannot concede the demand which is now made upon 1t that 1t shall pay for ten hours work the same amount of wages that it now pays for Il or 12 hours of work"
 The Mileage Basis
 Reduced to mileage basis, he said 1t would mean that the Pennsylvania would lave to pay its conductors and trainmen 04 cents per mile against the rate of 3.63 cents per mile paid by the New York Cen f.a1.
 "The company feels,'' Mr. McCrea further stated, "that the demand of the employees is unfair. in as much as 1t can rot be considered other than a penalty cor former liberal treatment. It has, however, expressed its willingness to make any readjustment to conform to the tsn-hour basis that will not result in an Increase in what it now pays on the trip k,asis."
 MT. Garretson. in his statement, said : The real kernel of existing contention tetween the Pennsylvania railroad and its lmployes lies not in the question of money involved, but in the effort to maintain on me side and to depart from, on the other, what Is often described as Penn Fylvania policies.' For years 1t has been the pride of the Pennsylvania railroad to toast to the official representatives of other roads that they could dictate the wage of their employees and the conditions under which they served, and they were ble for years to maintain semblance of his position, by regular issuance of so- called voluntary increases, and no greater 1lisnomer was ever employed to describe euch increases than the word voluntary
 Increases Granted
 s~The student of rate conditions would invariably notice that such voluntary in- creases were always granted when the tumble of the feet of an approaching grievance committee was heard.
 Tt has been repeatedly stated to the company" Mr. Garretson said, that if the company would adopt the code of iles governing conditions of service em- iodied in the New York Central award mat their application, coupled with the present rates of pay, would effect settle nlent of the differences upon the lines While both sides are disinclined to yield. as indicated in the official statements, there Is still hope among conservative lilroad men that a settlement would be Nsached.
 Messrs. Garretson and Lee absolutely refused to discuss the situation of the ssennsylvania lines west of Pittsburg. If x strike should come, it Is believed that tae entire system would be involved.
 Crisis h Partially Relieved
 Pittsburg, July 15.-A crisis which E,lreatened today in wage negotiations hstween the Pennsylvania railroad and tts 25,000 conductors and tratnmen was considerably relieved tonight. After q two hours conference between railroad . 1icials and a general committee rep sessnting the 10000 men involved on me lines west of Pittsburg 1t was an upunced by the committee tonight that Negotiations were still on and that ne situation was much less com 5trnfned.
 The news came after word had