The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-05

President J. F. McCreery of the feder- ation will meet with the nine interna- tional officers at the appointed time to- morrow when a decision as to future ac- tion by the unions will be reached. The union representatives intimated their plans already had been made.
 The letter from President Markham Of the railroad company to Secretary Kra- mer, representing the international union officers, read as follows:
 The Letter
 This is to acknowledge receipt of communication signed by yourself and others and reading as follows:
 lowing to our inability to secure satisfactory adjustment of the grievances existing between the various organiza- tions we represent and the Illinose Cen tral railroad company through you, as president of said company, at the con ference held yesterday afternoon be- tween yourself and a subcommittee selected from this body as per your re- quest or suggestion, we again request that you or your accredited representa- lives grant an audience to the committee of your employees as represented by the system federation with a view of ,Dego- tiating an agreement. Tf
 :" Should you still persist in not grant ing this request by 10:a0 o'clock Tuesday mOrliink, a0tPitIlDtF O. ioi1, WI WILL f'ohN such action as we deem necessary for the protection of our organization.
 As has been repeatedly stated to yourself and associates present at meetings with MT. Park and myself, there are in existence certain. con- tracts between the Illinois Central rail road and seven of the organizations represented in the foregoing commun- ication Never before in the history or our dealings with labor organizations have we been asked to change con tracts, except in the usual manner pro- vided therein, viz; That the 30 days formal notice which has always been regarded as an essential feature of the same be given. The required 30 days notice not having been given in the manner provided in each of the diff ferent contracts, we regard them as still in effect and must again decline to enter into negotiations with other agencies for the purpose of making changes therein. tt
 "The paramount interest in this con troversy is that of the shipping and travelling public. and being convinced that it is the ultimate purpose of the federation to consolidate railroad em- ployes into one organization, the man. agement does not see that public opinion would sustain it in entering into an agreement which would place in the hands of one body the power to throttle the commerce of the country Neither does 1t believe that the same public opinion will sustain any action which will result in disruption of the harmonious relations that have here tofore existed between the Illinois Central railroad and It's employees.
 Live Up to Contract
 You will. of course, take whatever ac- I fr,p protection of your respective organiza- tions, but If you will permit me to say 1t, 1t is my opinion that you can take no action that will afford any better pro- lection than to advise them to live up to their contracts with this company, just as 1t has always lived up to its contracts with them. If any other course is pur- sued and trouble results. the responsibility is your, not ours.'
 When copy of the letter was shown TO President McCreery he dicta ted the fo,- lowing statement
 If this letter which has been shown to me tonight Is authentic and correct, it is very evident to us that the officials of the Illinois Central are seeking to force the issue prematurely. That could be tn, only conclusion to draw from such a 4t .
 q cannot say what will be done in re- ward to this letter. That matter is up 10 the international officers in Chicago. who have been holding the conferences with President Markham. They are to hold meeting tomorrow morning at 10:SO O clock"
 The officials of the union clsim they have given 30 days notice that they de- sired changes in the contract President Markham, they say, was not satisfied with the form of the notices, inasmuch ss they were not signed by the same men whose names appeared on the contract
 San Francisco, September 4-(Buetinl The international presidents of the five shop crafts unions now here have dele gated the authority to enforce the ultima tum presented by the Federation of Shop Employees of the Illinois Central to Pres ident Markham to representatives on he ground who have been conducting the Illinois Central negotiations, according 10 a statement tonight by President J. ". Klirc of the Biacksmtbs' union.
 "The affair is entirely in the hands of our representatives in Chicago" said MT. Kline when told of President Mark hams refusal to meet representative of the federation of shop employees to- morrow MT. Kline declared he had not been notified that the representa- tives of the international presidents had takcn action toward calling a strike on