Arizona republican., 1910-03-13
BIC STRIKE IMPENDING If Called Il Will Involve the
 Entire West A HOPE OF ADJUSTMENT The General Managers of Western Railroads Have Definitely Denied the De- mand of Bremen for a New Wage Scale.
IA HOPE OF ADJUSTMENT

| Chicago, March 2-Admissions were made on both sides tonight that 1 the controversy between 3O.000 firemen operating on 15O,000 miles of railroads ' in the west, northwest and southwest and the railroads managers had be- come critical and that the question of | d strike. tying mp practically all the systems between here and the Pacific coast. would be settled within forty eight hours
 President Carter of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Bremen and Enginmen | in behalf of the firemen today sent tO | the general managers committee of l the railroads a request for clear statement of the employers position. The brotherhood asked for information on three points: The increased scale l which the railroads say will amount 10 22la per cent. but which the firemen say will be only equal to 12is per cent: the right of the union to rep resent firemen after they have been promoted either to be enginemen or to any other capacity; the right of the union 10 have authority on questions of seniority of promotion of old employees.
 Previous to negotiations the brother hood said it was willing to submit the wage question to arbitration under the Erdman act. provided the other two points were settled without the aid of a third party.
 IL was announced by the general managers committee tonight that an answer was ordered sent to Carter, denying the request, leaving it to the union, despite the strike vote" to take what future course they think best The answer it was said, would possibly reach Carter tomorrow. It is said that the recent vote showing that more than so per cent of the men will be against accepting the offer of the railroads. will enable the national officers to call a strike at any time.
 Negotiations have been going on six weeks. Forty-seven western railroads are involved. If a strike is called. it
 is said that 25,000 other employees will be forced to quit.>
 At today'S meeting ten general man agers were present At the close of the session, a member of the commit tee said: Although We confidently hope to reach an agreement by arbitra- ton, the situation is critical. In the face of the so-called strike vote we have told the men we will not grant the two points asked for before sub hitting the wage dispute to arbitra ton.
 "A strike now certainly will not be wise. We don't wish to alarm the busi- ness interests of the country. We shall exert every influence to induce the brotherhood to continue to act in friendly spirit We trust that the whole matter will be settled on Mon day"
 O. l.. Dickinson. assistant to the president of the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy, gave out formal statement:
 We believe the public need have no fear of. d suspension of business on account of great railroad strike. We have offered to arbitrate the wage question under the government law. placed on the statute books at the in sstence of organized labor.
 Three other labor organizations have recently accepted arbitration and another important railroad. the B. & O., has just succeeded in adjusting it's differences with us trdlnmen DS me diatiOn. There is no reason to be- lieve that another intelligent body of men we have endeavored to deal fair ly with are going to act hastily
 Later Mir. Carter gave out the fol- lowing: The railroads have been as suming right along that we are averse to arbitration. This is not so. There are great many things that are pc culiar to the situation of the firemen on western roads, such as for instance. the question of promotion. Hundreds of men who have been in the service almost a lifetime have not been fair ly treated. Then when the firemeh are promoted to engineers there is the question whether they go out of our jurisdiction into another union and so come under different insurance rates. All these things the railroads have not taken the trouble to explain to the pub.
 We don't like it to be represented that we are opposed to an amicable adjustment The situation is indeed critical. but we have not lost hope of