The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-03-17
F|RENEN DEMANDS
TO BIZ. ARB|TRATED
Federal Authorities to Aid In
Settling Differences.
STRIKE HOUR HAD BEEN SET
Appeals from Railroads and Men for
Arbitration Under Erdman Act
Granted-knapp and Neil
Start To-Day.

Chicago, March 16.-Special: The
hood of flremen and enginemen and
forty-nine Western and Southern rail
roads are marking time today pending
the arrival OF Chairman Knapp of the
Interstate commerce commission, and
Labor Commissioner Neil, who will
make an effort to bring the two sides
in the controversy to settlement.
Knapp and Neil, who will reach Chi.
cago tomorrow morning. will go at
once into conference with the commit
tees. The two government officials
are acting under the Erdman act. de-
string to prevent disastrous labor con-
troversies. Their first action will be
to try mediation, ana failing in thar,
both sides will he asked to arbitrate
Railroad managers expect settle
ment, but the iiremen think the strike
will take place later.
II Commissioners Knapp and Neil
hope to avert a strike of $1,000 men,
bers of the brotherhood of locomo-
tive ,firemen and enginmen. they will
have to act quickly when they arrive
tomorrow. This was made. clear this
afternoon when Carter declared his
organization would not stand for dilly.
dallying.
Mediators Are Satisfactory.
Chicago, Mar. 16.-After the hour
for calling strike of $4,000 railroad
employees had been fixed w. S. Carter
president of the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen, an
nounced that the railroad men would
accept Commissioner Neill and Chair.
man Knapp as mediators.
He said, however, that the men
would not countenance needless delay
or sacrifice any of their rights.
Mediation Asked For.
Mediation by the federal authorities
at Washington under the Erdman act
has been asked by representatives OF
all the railroads operating westward
out of Chicago, in the trouble that has
arisen between their firemen and
themselves. This mediation will be
granted, and It is hoped in this way
to avoid strike, which would in.
volve nearly 10000 men and tie UP all
of the big western roads.
Chairman Knapp Of the interstate
commerce commission and Dr. Charles
p Neill commissioner of labor. the
federal mediators, will start for Chi
cago to-day to take up arbitration ne.
gotiations with the officials of the fire.
mems union.
Thet request for mediation covered
wages. hours of labor and conditions
OF employment"
Officials Willing to Arbitrate.
The committee which adopted the
strike resolution comprised So mem.
bers OF the brotherhood
The resolution followed a communi-
cation from the railway managers to
the effect that they were willing to
arbitrate the money question, which
was one of the demands of the men,
but absolutely refused to arbitrate two
working rules demanded by the union,
The rules upon which the men insist
and which brought the conference be-
tween managers and employees to an
end are:
ANY engineer, fireman or hostler
feeling himself aggrieved may be rep
resented before the proper officials Of
the company by a committee of his
own selection.
promotion of firemen to be en-
gineers and the establishment of the
I date Of seniority shall be in accord
ance with rules agreed upon by the
company and the regularly accredited
representatives of the firemen and
such representatives shall be recog,
nized in disputes that may arise in the
application of these rules"