The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-03-16
.
STRIKE DANGER.
IS AVER7EO FOR
THE TINE. BEING
Acceptance Of Mediation by
Both Sides Saved Threat.
ened Calamity
CHAIRMAN KNAPP. AND .
COMMISSIONER NELL TO act

lnhIhmhlv khArr, hnu
COMMISSIONER NELL TO ACI
Will Give Their First Attention to q
Determination Of the Question Of
What Is to be Arbitrated Between
the Roads and the Men.
Chicago, March 1s-Danger of an
Immediate strike of $4,000 locomotive
firemen. the throwing out of employ
ment of more than 125,00O other en-
ployes, and the temporary suspension
OF business on practically every rail-
ROAD system between Chicago and the
Pacific coast was averted last night
through the acceptance OF offers of
mediation from the federal authorities
at Washington.
At the request of the general man
ayers Of the forty-seven western
railroads involved, Chairman Martin
A. Knapp of the interstate commerce
commission and Commission of Labor
G. P. Neill, telegraphed an offer of
federal mediation to union Officials.
This offer was accepted, w. s. Car
ter, president of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen
stipulating however, that action must
begin without delay. The appeal to
Washington was taken as an eleventh.
hour move to prevent a walkout,
which. 1t was declared threatened the
greatest railroad upheaval since that
of 1894. Thirty-seven members Of the
western federated board of the broth
erhood at midnight last night formal
ly voted for strike The hour for
striking had been set for next Mon
day morning and the members were
prepared to start for their homes,
some of them as far as the Pacific
coast, to put the strike into action
when the mediation steps were taken.
1t is stipulated that. the !mediators
will come to Chicago. According to
MT. Carter their function will be, not
to arbitrate the. matters Iii dispute
fbae to determine what shall be ar
bitrated. The questions involve wa
ges, which both sides have agreed up
on as arbitrable, and two other tech
nical points, involving promotion and
representation in the union, which the
brotherhood contend are but which
the railways assert are not arbitrable.
IF the mediation falls through, the
strike will go right on as planned"
said ir. Carter.
The acceptance of mediation was
contained in the following telegram
sent by the brotherhood:
Hon. Charles P. Neill, Commissioner
Of Labor.
"Hoq. Martin A. Knapp, Chairman of
the Interstate Commerce Com
mission:
Matters in controversy involve
conditions of employment and in
crease in wages. Committee prepar-
ing to leave city but If assurances is
given that mediation will begin i'm
mediately in the city of Chicago, au-
thority for the men. to leave the en-
ploye of the company will be tenn
porarily withheld. The fact that we
have imposed on all matters in con-
troversy and the fact that the man.
ayers committee have rejected. our
proposition does not lead our men to
expect a settlement from mediation,
but as evidence of our fairness, will
accept your friendly offices under the
conditions named herein. Please
answer promptly. w. S. Carter"
At the same time this was sent a
letter was directed sent to the general
managers as follows:
Nv. c. Nixon. chairman of the Man.
ayers committee:
Dear Sir: Your letter of March Is
has been received. in which you COM
municate the information that the
managers committee has invoked the
aid OF the Erdman act. and that the
honorable chairman of the interstate
commerce commission and the honor
able United States commissioner of
labor have been requested by the man
ayers committee to tender their good
Offices.
'"This is to advise the managers
committee that the chairman of the
interstate commerce and the commits
sioner of labor have rendered by wire
their friendly Offices in an endeavor
to settle. through mediation the pend
ing controversy.
THE proposition of our committee
that matters in controversy be sub
mitted to arbitration is evidence of
the regard that we have for the in
terests of the public, and after giving
the matter further consideration our
committee instructs me to notify the
managers committee that it has &C.
cepted the good Offices of the chair
man of the interstate commerce COM
mission and the commissioner of labor
in an effort to reach an amicable ad-
justment of matters in dispute, pro-
vided that such mediation shall be
conducted in the city of Chicago, and
without delay.
"Our committee again insists that
aside from the interests of the public
there are no other parties concerned
in this dispute except the railways
represented by the managers commit
tee and the employees represented by
our committee.
by order of the committee.
w. S. Carter.
r president of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and Engine
men,"