New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-05
BIC RAILROAD STRIKE
SEEMS TO THREATEN.
NEGOTIATIONS Between Officials
and the Men Are
Broken Off.
MARKHAM WON'T CONFER
Writes Unions That Public
Opinion Will Not Sustain
Action to Break
Harmony.

Chicago. Sept. 4-President Markham Of
the Illinois Central Railroad tonight ended
hopes Of an immediate settlement of the
labor difficulties of the road by directing
letter TO w. F. Kramer. secretary of the
International Blacksmiths' Union. refusing
90 meet the repre- sentativcs Of the FEEDER
sted Shop Employees tomorrow. as had
been requested
The unions asked that Markham meet
the employees Of the road as represented
= the systems federation. The request
rs coupled with a statement that unless
o conference was granted by 1920 o'clock
iescay morning. September g. the unions
1uio take the necessary steps TO protect
cir own interests
President J. F. McCreerv Of the fedora
IN will meet the nine international Of
'ers al the appointed time tomorrow.
Id a decision as 10 the future action by
unions viii be reached. The union
personalities inumated that their plans
ready had been made President Nc
reery issued "a statement that the nine
ats In the federation had turned mat
'rs over TO the international officers and
iI await action by them
The letter from President Markham OF
he road 10 Secretary Kramer. represent
.ng the international union officers read
as follows:
This is 10 acknowledge receipt Of a com
muniCatlOn signed by yourself and others
and reading as follows
owing 10 our inability 10 secure a salts
factory adjustment OF the grievances eN-
listing between the various organizations
Ne 1epresent and the Illinois Central Rail
road Company through YOU as president
OF said company, at the conference held
yesterday afternoon. between yourself and
& Subcommittee selected from this Dooy
&c per your request or suggestion, We
again request that YOU or your accredited
representativeS grant an audience 20 the
committee Of your employees as represented
by the system federation, with a vie" or
RI Regulating the agreement.
."Should YOU st,U persist in not granting
this request hy 10 80 O'Clock TUESDAY
= morning September 3. 1911. we will take
such action as We deem necessary FOR the
. protection Of 0Ur organizations.
please address all communications 70
NJ ". r. Kramer. 80. $50 Monon Build
ing Chicago
self and associates present no meetings with
NJ Park ana myself. there are ~ exist
ence certain contracts between the ILLINOIS
Central Railroad ana seven or me oFSdni-
ztrions represented in the foregoing com
y mica ton. Never before in the history Of
our dealings with labor organizations have
we been asked 70 change contracts. except
ir the usual manner provided therein. viz.
AZ the thirty days formal notice which
IA always been regarded as an essential
.fes fure Of the same, beng given. ne re-
.Oui~ed thirty DAYS notice not having been
given fin me manner provided in each Of
tlha different contracts we regard them as
&vrT I'm effect, and must again decline n
-enter INTO negotiations with other agencies
Tor the purpose II making changes therein.
The paramount interest IN this con-
troversy ia that Of the shipping and travel
Ing public. and being convinced that II Is
the ultimats purpose Of the federation 70
consolidate railroad service employees into
ora org8niZ afi0n. the management does not
fee that public opinion would sustain u IN
entering into an agreement which would
Mace in the hands Of one body tho power
10 throttle the commerce OF the country.
Neither does II believe that the same pun
EC opinion will sustain any action which
v-iU result in disruption OF the harmonious
ar atoms that have heretofore existed be
tween the Illinois Central Railroad and its
Z You viii. of course. take whatever action
yCu may consider necessary for the pro
recti0u OF YOUR respective organizations.
but. # Won will permit me 70 say il n is
nv opinion that YOU can take no action
that VIII AFFORD any better protection than
4 advise them ~ live up 20 their contracts
with this company. just as 10 mad always
lived % ~ it's contracts with them. II any
other course Is pursued and trouble re-
suits. the responsibility IS yours, not ours.
When a copy Of the letter was shown 70
President McCreery. he dictated the fol-
lowing statement:
= n this letter which has beeen shown 10
--T.e tonight Is authentic and correct. Il Is
-ye-v evident 20 US that the officials OF the
Illinois Central are seeking 10 force the
issue U~ama rlrelv. That could be the only
conclusion to draw from such a communl-
cation.
The officials Of the Unions say they have
twice given thlrty-daT notices fhat theF
desired changes in the contracts. Fresi-
crDt Markham. they say, was not satlS-
FaG with the notices. because they were
nor signed by the same men whose names
auDear On the contracts with the railroad
san Francisco. Sept. 1.-THE affair is en-
-relv I'm the hands Of our representatives in
Hicago." said M Kline, when told of
resident Markham refusal 10 meet rep
.eentatives Of the Federation Of Shop En-
doves tomorrow. lie declared he had not
,sen informed that the representatives Of
he international presidents had taken &C
ion toward calling strike on the Illinois
.onrrai
.Does President Markham refusal mean
hat strike will be called ou the Illinois
.rrraI2'' he was asked
4 suppose IL does. 81 our representatives
ow I'm charge deem IT advisable TO carr,
lr the ultimatum delivered 10 President
farl.lau.' he replied