Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-15
Order for General Strike Issued
at Midnight Will Affect Count
less Thousands of Railroad
Men This Side of Chicago,
EXACT HOUR OF WALK0UT
REMAINS TO BE FIXED
General Managers Still Hope
fnI that Strike May Be Avoid
ed by Appeal for Federal In
terventiOn.

IIiy Morning Journal sSeeia; r.sassd wireI
Chicago, March 14.-At midnight
tonight w 5. Carter, president of the
brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
ana Engineers said that a strike OF
25,000 firemcn on practically all the
western railroads had been called
MIR. Carter said the decision to
strike had been reached at a meeting
OF forty-three members Of the West
crn Federated board Of the Brother
hood. each member representing Il
western road The exact hour at
which the men are to walk out he
said wuuld be decided upon tomorrow
ana every member OF the union be-
tween Chicago and the Pacific coast
would then be informed by telegraph
TO quit work
'At midnight tonight we decided II
was useless TO parley further with the
railroad managers We adopted a res
olution culling a strike.
owing To the latcness Of the hour
and in order that The men would not
90 out in confusion and not knowing
The true state Of affairs. wc l9nped go
wait untif tomorrow before telegraph
ing the order
"Will the men quit work tomor-
row." Mr.. carter was asked.
'The men wil Quit work within
twenty S-four hours after the order is
issucd,' he replied,
The railroads issued a statement de-
claring that TO prevent strike they
WOnldg IL necessary, appeal to the au-
thorities at Washington.
The controversy which has been
under discussion for more than six
weeks. involves forty-seven railroads
operating in the west, northwest and
southwest and embraces about 150,-
900 miles Of railroads,
1t has previously been stated by
both sides that if a strike were called
il would tic up practically every
freight and passenger train between
Chicago and the Pacific coast
The strike has been called-that
much is certain, said Mr.. Carter. III
means that not only 25,000 firemen,
members OF our union viii 80 out but
that perhaps many more employes
viii he thrown out in consequence.
we gave our ultimatum to the rail-
roads that the men had voted to strike
and that we were prepared 70 can one
unless we were granted arbitration of
all questions in dispute. The rail-
roads refused to arbitrate anything
but the wage question
The points in dispute are;
Increase in wages demanded, which
the union officials say would amount
to about II V per cent. but which the
railroads assert would amount to - Y
per cent.
The rights of the union in questions
Of representation when a fireman has
been promoted to an cngineman or to
another capacity over which another
union claims jurisdiction.
Questions of seniority or the pro- +
motion OF new men over old time en-
ployes
The railroad managers committee.
composed of ten of the general man
igers of western railroads. and head
~ by w G. Nixon, general manager 4
)f the st Louis & San Francisco rail-
'oad. already had agreed to submit
he wage question to arbitration under
he Erdman act. but had declined TO
,rbitrate the other two points on the
ground that they were matters of dis
'iplinc and could no be arbitrated.
To this attitude the union officials
N SUNDAY sent what they called an
'utimatum." declaring that il all
hrce points were not submitted to
ettlcment by arbitration, a strike
would be Inevitable.
The railroads TODAY informed Mr.
'arter that Notwithstanding the strike
possibility. they were determined 10
tand pat. on refusing to arbitratc
lnything but the wage question.
They announced that If all the wage
demand was granted other railroad
Unions would soon demand similar
Increases and this would virtually
the roads.
We have figured it out and il
would mean deficit of more than
'er cent per annum To every road
ranting the increase said q. L.
)ickcrson, assistant 10 the president
u the Chicago. Burlington x Quincy
Dad. An arbitration board eould
asily be convinced OF this fact Still
,e were willing To submit the wage
60 mediation. but not the
iher questions which clearly concern
iiiciency and authority"
We want the public 10 understand
hat the responsibility Tor this strike
ests upon the railroads. said Mr..
arter. The railroads have intimated
isht along that they were willing 10 !
rhitrate and we We're trying To eVtdc
:. They have said that the labor
mons insugated the enactment of
he arbitration law and wer- always 4
rNing tu keep away from f. .
ON sunday we told thc managers 4
ONT blank that We were ready To ar !
iirate tine whole matter ard We Is b
leu statement 70 the utbli~ 90 tha- Al
'i"rt The answer MAS that they /,