The Cairo bulletin., 1910-03-14
CRITICAL PART
IN CONTROVERSY
TOMORROW WILL DEC IDE
WHETHER $4,000 OR MORE
FIREMEN WILL STRIKE.
ARBITRATION DEMANDED
BY the herhood--Prcsicent Car.
ter Declares Strike is lnevit-
able if Railroads Do Not
Yield.


Chicago, March 13,-The threatened
walkout of 25,00O firemen on nearly
all railroad systems between Chicago
and the Pacific Coast reached the crit
ical stage today, when w. S. Carter,
president of the Brotherhood of Lo.
comotive Firemen and Enginemen,
formally advised the railroads that If
the entire controversy is not submit
ted to arbitration strike will be In
evitable.
Carter's letter of notification is en-
dorsed by the brotherhood's com
mittee, which represents the firemen
on forty-seven railroads west of Chi
cago. The letter was sent to w. G.
Nixon, general manager Of the st.
Louis and San Francisco Railroad
chairman Of the railroad managers
cammittee
The letter follows;
Dear Sir
Your letter Of March Is, wherein
you state that the managers commit
tee declines to further consider the
matters in controversy, has been re-
ceived and in reply cur committee
instructed me to say:
If there is to be great railroad
strike the responsibility must and
will rest upon the managers commit
tee. That there may be no mis- under
standing concerning this responsible
ity our committee hereby proposes
the submission Of all matters in dis
pute to adjustment by arbitration,
"'The yublic hes been Informed,
through the press, that matters in1
controversy cannot be arbitrated, be-
cause they involve the authority of
railroad officials and discipline of EN-
ployes This statement our commit.
tee emphatically denies.
1.-The officials Of the many rail
roads represented by the managers
committee do not hesitate to confess
the gross injustice perpetrated under
the present practices.
1.-The president of the committee
directs me to request the managers
committee, through you if this prop
osition to arbitrate is not accepted
by the managers committee, that you
notify us at your earliest convent
ence.
The railroads previously announced
Willingness to arbitratc the increased
wage demand. which the fremen say
would amount to about 12h per cent
The other two demands involved,
the managers say, concern dNcipline
and authority, and are not open to ar
bitration These points have to do
with the promotion of flremen and the
question of whether, when they be-
come enginemen, they are still under
the jurisdiction of the brotherhood.
After confering with Nixon, O. L.
Dickson, assistant to the president
of the Chicago. Burlington and Quincy
road, gave Que the following state
ment:
I'VE have received Carters letter,
which to a layman who is rot familiar
with the methods of labor organiza-
tions, would appear to be somewhat
serious and point to strike. ! wish
to say that this is merely one of the
methods unfortunately envoked in
candA:ting such negotiations. and it
is not likely that the men would
sanction the action Of the leaders in
calling a strike over one of two tech
ncal points. We do not feel the
slightest apprehension over the diff
fculty. The managers, in due time,
probably tomorrow, will make def
mite answer to the tiremen's commit
ice, and we hope for peaceful ad-
ius.ment."
TO STRENGTHEN STRIKE.
Philadelphia, March 13.-In its eff
forts to demonstrate the strength of
organized labor and make stronger
the sympathetic strike, the Central
Labor Union today directed all milk.
men. bakers, grocery clerks and other
dispensers of the necessities of life
70 remain away from their usual vo-
catiors tomorrow and until the griev-
ances of the striking car men have
been adjusted. 1t was also resolved
that uron members will draw all
theF money from the banks
The brewery workers voted today
to join the general strike despite the
orders of the national officers.
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