Arizona republican., 1911-09-02
Refuses to Recognize the
 Federation MEN ANXIOUS ID STRIKE
Federation Officials, How ever, Have Cast Their In fluence on the Side of In dustrial Peace and They May Prevail.


 President Kline of the blacksmiths' un- ion. said: owing to deadlock between the committee and Kruttschnitt 1t IS practically certain the general com mittee of the unions involved will be called to San Francisco immediately for consultation. International officers now here have not receded from their demand that the federation be recog- nized."
 San Francisco. Sept. 1--The South ,rn Pacific. through Julius krutt- schnitt. vice-president and director oi maintenance and way, absolutely re- iected today the demand for a recog- milton of the federation of shop em- pIoyes. comprising five shop craIt unions of 25.0OO men. That such rec ignition with its implications would hamper the company in performing us duty to the public, was the position taken bv the officials. Union leaders asked for it on grounds of economy gxpcditioD and admittedly because Of a feeling that greater centraHzdlloh of capital power made corresponu- ing standardization among various uh- ions desirable The unions involved had asked permission of their gen. eraI officers to strike in the event or a refusal of recognition Of the federation. A conference lasting three hours and twenty minutes was ter minated by Kruuschnitts final ans lver and following it union represen- tatives. sober faced, went into session bv themselves to consider a strike vote. which they may accept as plnd- ing or may reject by refusing to sanction a strike Those who con- ferred today were: For the railroad, KrlIttschnitt $ E. Calvin, vice-presi- dent and general manager of the Southern Pacific: W. R. Scott, assist ant general manager; J. H. Small, superintendent of motive power; k. K. Cleary. assistant to general manager; F. C. Ahern, chief of the bureau of economies. For the unions there ap- peared J W. Kline, international president of the blacksmiths' union, spokesman for his colleagues: NJ F. Ryan. general president of the Bro therhood of Railway car men; J. A Franklin. international president of the boilermakers union; J. D. Buck allow. vice president of the interna- tionaI association of machinists; J. D Crane, vice-president of the local sheet metal workers union, who rep resented his craft in the absence Of President Michael O'Sullivan. Todays meeting began at II o'clock in the offices of the Southern Pacific President Kline presented the case of the unions and replied to questions put to him by the railroad officials, who acted without a formal spokes- man during the discussion. Kline held his own in questioning, from his angle Of the case. one railroad official said.
 once or twice the discussion be- came lively, but never ranged beyond cool-headed argument. Railroad of ficials in their turn took the position already publicly announced by Krutt- schnitt. that federations by their de- mards would render it impossible for them to perform their duties inn posed upon them by law, and which make them, in the words of Krutt- schnitt, "Quasi-publc officials"
 At the end of the conference, which came at 2:20 p. m. Kruttschnitt issued the following statement:
 A conference was held between national officers of the shop employees and Southern Pacific officials" Here he enumerated those present and continued: Tn the conference ques- ton of benefits to accrue to both company and men from federation were fully presented by international officers, and officers of the railroad company explained at length the em- barrassment the company would eX- perience in performing its public func- tions if hampered by a committee vested with sufficient power to con trol, or partially control, operations. The discussion lasted from II to near ly 2:3O D. m, without altering the situation"
 Some seeming ambiguity in the final phrase was cleared up by a railroad official who said authrita- lively it was intended to mean there ia no change from Kruttschnitt's previous position outlined ir a public statement in which he said recOgni- ton of the union would be impossible We have not refused to see the men further, however" said the of- ficial. We are still prepared tC grant any request for a conference although our position is fixed"
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