The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-05-13
CLEAR STATEMENT OF FACTS.


The railroad side of the contro-
versy between the Erie railroad and
its conductors and trainmen is con-
tanned in a statement issued Mon
day. 1t is as follows:
The indications are that the diff
fieulties between the trainmen and
conductors of the Erie Railroad and
the Company are not of such a Seri-
ius nature as to make a strike in
evitable. 1t is the usual procedure
of railway organizations, when their
original demands are declined, for
the general officers to fortify them
selves with what is known as a
strike vote; i. e., the men are re-
quested to authorize their chief Off
GERS to take any necessary steps,
including the declaration of a strike
in case a satisfactory settlement is
not made with the employer.
I'm calling for a vote on the Erie
Railroad, each employe of the or
ganizations referred to is requested
to sign to the effect that he will
strike unless a settlement of the
above referred to questions, salts
factory to the General Committees
and officers of the two organizations,
can otherwise be effected" The
Erie officials are somewhat at a loss
to understand what is meant by a
settlement" for the reason that
the Erie Railroad Company has been
dealing with the general officers of
the organizations rather than with
the committee of it's own employees.
The proceedings have been carried
on absolutely and entirely by the
presidents and vice-presidents of the
two labor organizations, none of
whom is an Erie employee.
THE general officers of the o. r.
C. and b. of r. T. have stated
plainly to the management of the
Erie Railroad that they demand the
wage scale now in effect on the Bal
timore & Ohio and New York Cen
trail Railroads and some other east
ern lines and that if it is not grant
ed and they secure sufficient votes,
they will declare a strike on the
Erie Railroad to enforce their de-
mands. They also state positively
that they will not consent to any
mediation or arbitration of the
questions involved.
"A statement has been made on
the part of the organization leaders
to the effect that the Erie company
stated clearly that all it would give
would be an increase of approx
mately six per cent. which offer was
refused. AS a matter of fact, the
Erie has recently concluded agree
ments and increased wages of other
employees in similar service, which
advance amounted approximately to
six per cent and it is ready to nego-
tiate with the conductors and train
men on relatively the same basis.
when an advance of six per cent.
was discussed, it was distinctly un-
derstood that if there should de-
velop any conditions which would
Justify further consideration, each
case would be considered on its
merits.
1T was further stated on the part
of the Erie Railroad that it was OPP
posed to a STANDARDIZATION of wages
applying to all railroads in the ter
ritory traversed by the Erie with
out giving conditions proper thought
and consideration. However, the
labor leaders have taken the stand
that a standard wage which they
themselves have formulated must be
accepted by all railroads regardless
of conditions or ability and they
state if their demands are not COM
piled with, that strikes will be de-
clared for the enforcement of their
principles, and even going further
by making the statement that neith-
er mediation nor arbitration will be
| accepted.
''As a matter of fact, however, the
situation has not reached a point
where either side expects a strike
and it is quite likely after the vote
is taken that a compromise will be
effected. Either side, however, still
has the right in case of deadlock
to demand arbitration under the
Erdmann Act.