The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-15
Forty Nine Companies
Threatened with WaIkout
of $1,000 Men
DECIDE TO STRIKE AT
MIDNIGHT CONFERENCE
Difficulties With Engineers and
Firemcn the Cause-Both Sides
Obdurate-Goyernment May
Intervene.


CHICAGO, March 15.--Unless the
General Managers committee. repre-
senting 40 Western and Southern
railroads make some radical con-
cession to the Brotherhood of Loco
mtive Firemen ana Enginemen before
p. M. the flremen's committee will
adjourn sine die and Its members will
return to their homes and arrange
Tor an Immediate strike OF sT 700
trainmen.
This announcement was made at
noon to-day by President Carter. OF
the Brotherhood, following a secret
conference of the firemcn,s committee.
Carter declared his committee had de-
cided upon the exact day and hour
the strike would begin. but that these
would not be announced at his time.
He added. however. that the begin
ming OF the strike lis not more than
FIVE days of.
President w. s. Carter. of the Bro
therhood of Locomotive Firemen and
Enginemen, remained In session all
night with a committee of that or
Eanization. during which detailed dis
cussion was made concerning plans
for the strike and the date on which
Il will begin.
The decision to call a strike was
reached at midnight by the general
federated board for the Western rail-
roads of the brotherhood after the
receipt by the board OF q letter from
Chairman Nixon. of the railway gen
erai managers committee. finally re-
-fusing 10 grant the demands OF the
firemen. 1t is believed the strike
will not 60 into effect until the end
Of the week. as the Pacific coast
members of the brotherhood must
have time TO reach their homes and
direct the waIkont OF the men there.
The question of wages and working
rules constituted the rock on which
the negotiations split, The railroads
were willing TO arbftrate the question
of wages. bat would not arhitrate the
two working ruies--one providing for
promotion OF members OF the brother
hood by seniority, and the other Civ
Ing the Brotherhood nj Locomotive
Firemen representation on all COM
nfttees OF employees Investigating
grievances affecting the engineers On
the other hand. the brotherhood com
faittee demanded arbitration of the
two working rules. but refused abso-
iuteis to submit the wage question to
arbitration.
Both sides Firm.
When this deadlock was reached
President Carter of the Brotherhood.
sent n letter 4, Tire general mana yvrs
committee outlining the hrnthsrhunt,a
"titimatum"
TTthis Chairman Nixon replied late
TART night retferatfrg the determine
ton of the roads not to arbttrate tho
two rules. This was followed by the
unnanimens adoption Of resolution
by the firemens committee authnriz-
int strike.
Apparently the only hope Of avoid
ing the strike Is that the interference
of the Federal officials The rail-
roads will ask Chairman Knapp. of
the Interstate Commerce Commission,
and Labor Commissioner Nefil to-day
to ask as mediators under the Erd-
man act.
Should the ffremen carry out their
determination to go out, 1t win precip-
i'ate the second big railroad strike
within six months. The switchen on
the Northwestern roads struck last
fall and the strike is still on. IT In
estimated that 1t has entailed a lose
OF $in.0eo,0s0. and the number OF
men affected IS small compared to
the number the tfrefnen could cal.
out.
Should the flremaF. quit work 14o.-
600 miles of rack. more than hals
the mileage sr The country, would ha
affected, or the IS. 0oa men affected.
usvuV are EAklitNGTS- IAS 1FQtHeI-
hood Of Locomotive Firemen and En-
saneers Is supposed to ne affiliated
with the other great railway orders.
but 1t Is hardly likely tho conductors,
engineers and Srainmen's o-ganixa-
tfons world he Infected. at fcast for
q time.
The greatest railroad strike in the
cuuntrys history was the American
Railway Union strike OF 1894. which
affected pra ctically every railroad In
the caunrr,s, costing upwards of 800.
100000.
President Carter at noon made ps,b-
lie the text OF the ictter aont by lis
committee 10 the railway managers,
Notifying them a strike had been au-
thorixcd. II reads:
Tho refusal OF the managers com.
mittec to arbitrate article two and
article three ON the plea that otnsr
organizations interests are involved,
cannot be accepted by our committees,
for the reason that we are only re-
questing tho restoration OF tho rule
and practice which our members have
always enjoyed until recently when
the railroad managers nnrogated or
nuilth0d such rule, thereby deprtv1ng
certain tfainmen OF the rights which
are accorded to every other employe
In the service OF tho railroads repre-
sented by the managers committee.
Our committee has authorised The
mon affected 20 Withdraw from the
service"
gixnr,kf Shrn;r