The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-03-18
THIRTY THOUSAND RAILROAD
FlREMEN SERIOUSLY CON-
SIDERlNG NATTER.
General Managers Committee at Chi
caqo Is Firm - Brotherhood, Obdu-
rate, Sends Three Queries to EN-
pIoyers, Willing to Invoke Erdman
Act ConditionaIIy One Is San
guine.

Chicago, March IA. = Admissions
have been made on both sides that the
controversy between 10000 firemen op-
Grating on 100000 miles of railroads
west, northwest and southwest OF Chi
cago, and the railroad managers had
become critical and that the question
of a strike tying up practically all the
systems between here and the Pacific
coast would be settled within 4S hours.
President w. S. Carter, of the Broth
erhOod of Locomotive Firemen and En-
ginemen, on behalf of the firemen, has
sent to the general managers commit
tee of the railroads a request for a
clear statement of the employers posi-
tion The brotherhood asked for in
formation on three points raised, as
follows:
Three Points Raised.
Increased wage scale which the rail-
roads says would amount to an in
crease of 22h per cent, but which the
firemen say would only equal 1871 per
cent.
The right of the union to represent
the fireman after he has been promot-
ed either to the post of engineer or to
any other capacity.
The right of the union to have au-
thority in questions of seniority or the
promotion of old-time employees.
In previous negotiations the broth
erhood 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.
1t was announced by the general
managers committee that an answer
has been ordered sent to President
Carter denying this request and leav-
ing it to the union, despite it's strike
vote,' to take what future course it
thinks best.
Forty-seven Roads Involved.
1t is said the recent vote, showing
more than 80 per cent. of the men to
be against accepting the offer of the
railroads would enable the National
officers to call strike at any time.
Negotiations have been on for six
weeks. About forty-seven Western
railroads are involved If a strike
were called it is said that $4,000 other
employees would be forced to quit
work.
At the recent meeting ten general
managers were present. At the close
of the session a member of the com
mittee said:
Although we confidently hope to
reach an agreement on arbitration, the
situation is most critical. In the
face of the so-called strike vote we
have told the men We will not grant
the two points they ask for before sub
hitting the wage dispute to arbitra-
ton.
Strike Now Unwise.
"A strike at this time certainly
would not be wise. We do not wish
to alarm the business interests of the
country, and we shall exert every ef-
fort to induce the brotherhood to con-
tinue to act in friendly spirit. We
trust the whole case will be settled in
a day or two
E. l.. Dickinson, assistant to the
president of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy Railroad, gave out formal
statement as fololws:
1--WE believe the public need have
no fear of suspension of business on
account of great railroad strike. We
have offered to arbitrate under the
government law placed on the statute
books at the instance of organized Ia
Dor, the wage question.
Three other labor organizations
have recently accepted arbitration and
another important railroad, the Balti-
more & Ohio, has just succeeded in ad-
justing it's differences with the train
men by mediation. There is no reason
to believe that another intelligent body
of men we have endeavored to deal
fairly with is going to act hastily"
WASHINGTON RELEASED