The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-15
STRIKE HELD UP.
Western Railways Ask Media
tiOn Under Erdman Law.
TO Prevent a WalkOut by Fire.
men and Enginemen.
1T HAD BEEN ORDERED
Nothing Lacking But Fixing the
Hour to Quit.
Would Have Tied Up Every
Train on Al Roads.
1T HAD BEEN ORDERED


quested on the controversy that has
| arisen between the railway lines oper-
ating westward out of Chicago and
their firemen and enginemen. The ap-
plication for mediation was made by
the railways. The request will be
| granted.
Immediately after Chairman Knapp,
Of the interstate commerce commission.
arrived at his Office. representatives of
the general managers committee, pre-
sented to him the application of the
railroad officials for mediation OF the
trouble. The application was signed by
W. C. Nixon, chairman of the general
managers committee. The request was
Tor the mediation of the difficulty that
lad arisen on subjects of wages, hours
OF labor and conditions of employment"
between the AZ roads involved and the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Ffremen
5rd Enginemen. It was requested in
the application that the mediators,
Chairman Knapp and Commissioner of
Labor Neill, enter into communication
with w S. Carter. president of the
Brotherhood, with view to an AMIGA
Die adjustment of tho trouble.
Chairman Knapp assured the repre-
sentatives of the general managers
that he and DR.. Neill would take up the
matter Immediately and if necessary
would go to Chicago IN an effort to ad-
just the controversy. Chairman Knapp
and DR.. Neill had a conference during
LH0 early part OIL the DAY TO determine
upon what they would do. 1t appears
not unlikely that if the telegraphic
communication with President Carter is
satisfactory, one or both of the media
tors will leave Washington late today
for Chicago.
The application for mediation is COM
prehenSive in scope 1t includes not
merely the question of wages-which is
the crux of the dispute. but also hours
of labor and conditions of employment.
In fact it covers every phase of the
difficulty. 1t is known representatives
of the general managers committee
several days prepared and fully auth
orfzed to make the application in the
fo rrn it was presented today as soon as
! failure of the negotiations at Chicago
should. be indicated.
Union Men Surprised
Chicago. March 15.-News that the
controversy between the western rail-
roads and the locomotive fremen and
enginemen would be mediated under the
Erdman act came as a surprise to the
officials of the employees union while
they were in session endeavoring to
decide on the hour when the strike
should be called. President Carter, of
the BrotheIhoo of Locomotive F'iremen
and Enginemen, declined discuss the
turn affairs had taken until the com
mittee of which he is chairman, had
been officially informed that the federal
authorities had taken hold.
Railroad officials without hesitation
declared that mediation under the Erd- |
man act would put a stop for the pres
ent at least to the proposed walkout.
Under the act the questions on which |
the employers and the men disagree |
will be submitted to the judgment of
Chairman Knapp of the interstate
commerce commission and United
States Commissioner of Labor Ne1ll.
The date ana hour of calling the strike |
was decided on by the union officials
committee today. but the committee ad- |
bic
announcing the time. President Carter |
of the union. said he believed the COM |
nIittee would order the strike regardless |
of the mediation proposal.
Strike Had Been Ordered.
Chicago, March 15.-Railroad officials |
in all parts of the country were stirred |
today over the announcement that the |
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen |
and Enginemen had ordered a strike Of |
$4,000 f1remen on practically all the |
railroads between Chicago and the Pa |
cific coast and that the exact hour at |
which the men were to quit work prob !
ably would be sent out within "a hours. |
President w. S. Carter, of the Broth |
erhood, at midnight last night, an |
nounced that the strike order had been |
decided upon by himself and 43 MEM |
berS of his committee because the rail- |
way general managers refused to SUBJ |
NIT all questions in dispute to arbitra- |
tion under the Erdman act. He said |
the committee today would probably |
decide upon the hour at which the men |
should go out and the officials of all |
local organizations of the Brotherhood. |
would be informed by telegraph.
While deprecating the strike order /
and maintaining that trouble might /
still be averted the railroads asserted /
they were determined not to agree to 1
submit anything except the wage dis |
pute to arbitration. They declared that |
the strike would temporarily tie up /
every freight and passenger train on Al |
railroads and probably throw out of |
employment 100000 men.
An appeal to the authorities at ,
Washington to step in and prevent |
trouble would be made if necessary,
according to statement by W. c. |
Nixon, chairman of the managers |
committee. Mr.. Nixon who is gener- |
al manager of the st. Louis & San |
Francisco railway and nine other gen.
eraI managers. who constitute the |
committee, were up all night, work
ing on a solution of the difficulty. |
Headquarters were established at a |
down town hotel and telegraph wires
were kept busy all night, asking Of
f1cials in western, northwestern and |
southwestern cities what would be the |
condition if a strike were called with
out further notice. These queries |
asked for information as to local
conditions and as to the preparedness
of various railroads If the firemen left
their engines.
Even strike of short duration, the |
railway officials declare would entail |
a loss to the country of millions.
a strike The union officials said they
had agreed to submit everything to
arbitration and that this showed their
spirit in the matter, The railways de-