The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-05-13
MAY FAVOR STRIKE
Erie Trainmen Said to Have
Approved Fight.
WILL COUNT VOTE ON MAY l6.
While Sentiment Of Workers ls Re-
ported to Be Overwhelmingly For
Determined Stand, Erie President
Thinks Strike Not Inevitable.

New York, May 10.-The strike vote
Of the trainmen and conductors on the
Erie railroad system between here and
Chicago for the wages granted to the
Baltimore and Ohio trainmen and con
ductors by the arbitrators under the
Erdmann act. will be counted in this
city on May 16
From the indications so far the vote
is overwhelmingly in favor of strike,
and If the full vote is for n strike the
heads of the Brotherhood Of Railroad
rrainmen and Order OF Railroad Con-
ductors will in accordance of the rules
of The two organizations make a last
effort to bring about Ieaceable set
uement before the strike is declared.
The following statement as to the
situation was issued by the Erie rails
road:
1.-THE indications are that the diff
culties between the trainmen and con-
ductors of the Erie railroad and the
company are not of such a serious ma
ture as to make a strike inevitable. it
is the usual procedure of railway or
ganizations, when their original de-
mands are declined, for the general
officers to taRe any necessary steps
including the declaration of a strike In
case a satisfactory settlement Is not
made with the employer.
"In calling for vote on the Erie
railroad, each employee Of the organ
ization referred to is requested to sign
to the effect that he will strike Unless
a settlement Of the above referred to
questions, satisfactory to the general
committees and officers Of the two or
ganizations, can otherwise be effected
The Erie officials are somewhat at a
loss to understand what is meant by
settlement for the reason that the
! Erie Railroad company has been deal
ing with the general officers of the or
ganiZations rather than with the COM
mittee of its own employees. The pro-
ceedings have been carried on abso-
| lutely and entirely by the presidents
and vice presidents of the two labor
organizations, none of whom is an Erie
employee"
Commenting on the statement, w.
( G. Lee, grand master of the trainmen,
speaking for Grand Master Garretson
of the conductors and himself, said:
"The Erie has been given the same
opportunity as the New York Central
and the Baltimore and Ohio railroads
and we did not ask a penny more nor
will we accept "A penny less in wages
than they pay. When the Erie buys
new cars or equipment it pays the
standard price, as the New York Cen
tral or the Baltimore and Ohio or any
other road has to pay. Why should II
pay less for labor than these roads
There is no truth whatever in the
statement that the company has beer
dealing with the officers of the organ
izations rather than its own employees
"The men have no share In incur
ring any of the charges left by othel
homogeneous of the company. Th,
Erie is making money, but is handi
capped by fixed charges owing to {
capitalization of $4,000 or so pc
mile of road owing to poor manage
ment in the past, which the presen
r management inherited the burden Of
but which President Underwood, Gen
eral Manager Stuart or any of tn
present officers are no more to b.
/ blamed for than the men. Why thel
should the workers be expected to pa.
) a share of it?"