Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-22
FIREMEN ARE
TOLD POSITION
j. OF L. r. AND e. INFORMED BY
PRESIDENT OF ATTITUDE IN
ENGINEERS FIGHT.


STRIKE IS POSSIBLE
Members Who Are Running Urged T
stand by Action Of B. of L. e.
Whether They Participate
in Vote or Not
Az there is considerable talk OF
strike by the engineers on sixty-tWe
railroads west of Chicago, the effect o.
such strike upon the Brotnernooe
or Locomotive Firemen and Engineer
has been considered by that organlza
ton. The president of the 3. OF l.. =
and e. has written the local lodges ~
the affected districts telling the posi-
ton to be taken in the event OF
strike should such be called. me en-
Rineers do not, as q whole take serl
ously the thought Of strike and pc
lieve that ultimately better under
standing can be reached between the
conference committee Of managers
B and the B. of L. e. The fact that the
negotiations have been broken on and
that strike ballots are being cir
culatsd among the Brotherhood OF en-
hinoors, lends some color to the strlke
theory. However, the number OF
roads affected and the immense scope
Of territory affected by such a strike,
may be the means of bringing pres
aure 70 bear whereby arbitration or q
more satisfactory agreement can pc
made to dispel the strike clouds The
I sngineA1s wanted ffteen per cent IN
crease and the roads will meet the de-
mands about half way and thus the
breaking on Of negotiations and the
seuding ont OF the strike ballots.
carter's Letter.
Tho attitude Of the fremen's organl-
ration IN the matter is clearly set forth
A tn following letter from, w. L. Car
J ter. president Of the B. Of L. F. and E
which follows:
10 Recording Secretaries, Local Chair
n,en md General Chairmen, West
sru Federated District.
Dear 6irs and Brothers:
The Chicago daily papers, and other
papers publishing Associated Press
reports Of Nov. s, 1910, announced that
negotiations between the committee
representing the members of the
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers
and the conference committee of man
ayers OF western railways had been
broken OF and that the general chair
man bf the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Engiheers were returning to their re-.
spective roads to poll the engineers
employed thereon to ascertain II they
desired to leave the service OF the
company in a strike, or to accept the
best propositions made by the confer
erice committee of managers.
NY understanding of the matter IS
that the western association of the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers
is composed OF the general chairmen OF
the railway systems in the western
section of the country, and that they
have asked for certain Increase IN
wages for engineers. I do not under
stand that they have asked for any
thing that was not fair to the mem
bers Of the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Firemen and Engineers. l understand
they have exhausted all their efforts
to secure the increase In wages Tor
locomotive engineers through negotia-
lions VIII the conference committee
or managers, and now are taking a
strike vote because they have failed
to secure an increase In wages for
the engineers they represent.
Want Information.
Already, numerous letters are being
received from members Of our organi-
zation throughout the western coun-
tn, asking what will be the attitude
Of out brotherhood toward the
brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers
ia this their time Of trouble, and
others asking what Is to be done by
engineers who are members of our
brotherhood. will answer these let
tsrs collectively in the following three
questions and answers:
~ What shall be the attitude of the
members Of the Brotherhood Of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen
toward the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers canvassing strike vote?
n reply to the foregoing, can only
quote from quarterly report No. 2,
which is as follows:
.Unfortunately there Is a feeling Of
resentment among our members in the
west because Of the attitude assumed
BY many members Of the Brotherhood
81 Locomotive Engineers when it ap-
peared that our brotherhood would be
come involved In a strike. While It
may be . natural instinct to "pay back
IN IKE measure" l sincerely hope that
no member OF this brotherhood will
give expression to any language which
can Be used by the officials of the
railways in their efforts to defeat a
waxe movement by that organization.
While It is very difficult for our mem
bers to return good for evil" it will
bs great credit to our brotherhood
IL we do that very thing. No matter
what the members Of another organi-
zation said about US during the most
critical period of our negotiations, let
our members say nothings but good
words for others. and in the end we
will be benefited thereby.
Members Must Decide.
3. Shall engineer members of the
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen cast their vote for or
against strike of the locomotive en-
zineers, when requested to do SO by
the committee of the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers?
IN answer to the foregoing, would
say that this is matter for each en-
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