The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-12-29
FINAL COMPROMISE HAS BEEN
OFFERED AT CHICAGO
CONFERENCE.
SITUATION LOOKS MORE CRITICAL
Peace or Gigantic War on Western
Railroads to be Outcome
Notable Concessions
Proposed.

Chicago, Dec. "a. After hope of
peace had been virtually abandoned by
all concerned in the threatened strike
of engineers on 81 western roads, DR..
Neill, the government mediator, Of
fered a final compromise and washed
his hands Of the entire matter.
This compromise is said to make
notable concessions on both sides, but
the engineers are given the long end
of the bargain. If it is rejected DR..
Neill will formally offer arbitration
as required under the Erdman law
and Immediately take a train for his
home in Washington. The indications
are that peace will prevail.
~Exasperated at the attitude of the
general managers committee, which
has refused to take the strike threat
seriously, the engineers have reached
a point where they are ready to go
out on a moments notice. If the order
is issued it will strike every railroad
west of Chicago at the anne hour.
Only the yielding of the railroads
and a further increase in the wages of
the engineers can prevent the clash.
Since Dec. II Commissioner of Labor
Neill has worked day and night to
avert the strike and neither side has
yielded an inch.
Although the general managers have
protested to regard the strike vote of
the men to be a mere bluff" the rep
~resentatives of the engineers assert
h OF fhnv nouar vynr0 Gu ro11oh ~ 40 Nm
est in their lives and that they are
ready to go the limit. They have
placed themselves deliberately in a
situation where, it is said, they can
not back down, unless they wish to
see their organization go to pieces.
The movement for a wage increase
On western roads began in the con-
vention Of the engineers in Detroit
last May. In accordance with the con-
vention instructions the chairmen on
the various systems mea and formu-
lated new wage schedules which were
substituted to the rank and file for
a vote last July.
When the demands were ratified by
the men they were presented to the
managers in August and negotiations
began Sept. 26 last. The conference
lasted until Nov. Z when they
were broken off while the labor Off
Gals submitted the question of a strike
to the men.
During the negotiations the original
demands had been scaled down to such
IN extent that many of the men were
dissatisfied and when they were asked
whether they would agree to a further
scaling down, Or strike to enforce the
modified demands, the vote was 1888
per cent in favor Of a strike.
Now Way to Back Down.
Under the circumstances the lead
ers say there is no way for them to
back down without mourning the dis
pleasure of the members and making
the organization the laughing stock
among the other brotherhooas. It was
said Thursday that should the officers
attempt to settle on the basis offered
by the managers these men would
kick over the traces" and not &C.
cePt the settlement.
Asked regarding the carrying Of
mails Chief Stone said that he did not
know Of any law that would require
ar engineer to houl a train out Of a
terminal If he did not want to do SO.
whether it carried mail Or not. He
also asserted that the compulsory in
vestigaton law In Canada would have
no eject on the ~situation and should
q strike be ordered It wouh tie up tho
railroads In western Canada as we'll
- N The United States.