New-York tribune., 1911-09-02
FEDERATION TURNED DOWN
Hartman Lines Reject Demands
for Its Recognition.
STRIKES MAY BE AVERTED
Illinois Central Employees Give
Notice of a Desire to Alter
Their Contracts.

| Kruttschnitt, yce-president and director
Of maintenance and operation OF the Harri
man lines, absolutely rejected to-day de
mand for recognition OF the Federation OF
Shop Employees. comprising fve shop craf'
unions and twenty-five thousand men.
That such recognition. with It's impiica
tions, would hamper the company IN per
| forming it's duty to the public was ths
position taken by it's officials. Union lead
ers asked for II on grounds or economy
and expedition, and admittedly because o.
| feeling that greater Capitalization ol
| capital and power made corresponding cen
tralization among various unions desiranie
The unions involved had asked their gen
eral officers for permission to strike In the
| event Of the refusal TO grant recognition
of the federation.
A conference lasting three hours ano
twenty minutes was terminated by MI
Kruttschnitts final answer. and following
il the union representatives, sober faced
went into session by themselves TO con-
slider the strike vote. which they may ac-
cept as binding or may reject refusing u
sanction strike.
Those who conferred to-day were: For
the railroad-Julius Kruttschnitt; f. f.
Calvin. vice-president and general manager
Of the Southern Pacific; w. r. Scout as
sistant general manager; II. J. small
superintendent Of motive power; H. H.
Cleagy, assistant to the general manager,
and r. G. Ahern, chief Of the bureau oi
economies.
For the unions appeared J. W. Kline
international president Of the blacksmiths
union and spokesman for his colleagues
NJ r. Ryan, general president OF 'he
brotherhood Of Railway Carmen - a.
Franklin, International president or the
hoilermakers' union: J. n. Backalew' wee
president of the International Association
OF Machinists and j. ID. Crane ex-presi-
dent Of the sheet metal workers union
who represented his craft In the absence
OF President Michael O'sullivan OF the IN
ternational union.
At to-dav's meeting President Kline. II
was learned tonight presented the case
for the unions and replied to questions put
to him by the railroad oncials' VINO ac'e"
without formal spokesman
Mr. Kline based his pleadinss on
economic grounds. Once or twice the ois-
cussion became lively, but IT never ranged
bevond cool headed argument.
The railroad officials in their turn TOOK
the position already publicly announced ny
Mr. Kruttschnitt-that the federation
mower and demands would render II I'M
possible for them TO perform the dutes
and carry responsibilities which are I'M
posed on them by law. and when MAKE
them, in IN. words Of Mr.. Kruttschnitt'
quasi public officials"
At the end Of the conference, when
lasted more than three hours, Mr. krutt-
schnitt issued the following statement:
In the conference the question of IN,
hene6ts 10 accrue to both the company ana
the men from a federation was fully pre-,
sented by the international ofhcers' anu
the officers of the railroad company eX.
planned at length the embarrassment tha'
The company would experience in per,
forming its public functions If hampered
bv a committee vested with sufhclent
power to control or partially control It's
operations.
railroad official tonight said authori-
tatively that there was no change In Mr..
Kruttschnitts position, outlined previous
lv in a public statement in which he SAID
recognition of the federation would be i'm
possible.
"ue have not refused 10 see the men
further however" said this official We
are still prepared to grant any requests for
a conference though our position is fixed
Union leaders have made no secret Of
their anxiety to avert strike II II can
he done. and means to that end were can
vassed freely in their meeting to-nlght'
our meeting with Mr.. Kruttschnitt to-
dav was without result said J. w. Kline
tonight. Neither side would concede any
thing The demand that he recognize the
federation was presel ted to Mr.. krutt-
schnitt. but he refused to grant it. How
ever. we still have hopes of averting a
strike"
After continuing in session until late
hour the labor leaders adjourned FOR sup
per and then renewed their deliberations.
They announced during the recess that no
decision had been reached relative to the
action 10 be taken in view of the failure OF
l.to-day's negotiations.
Chicago. Sept Representatives Of the
international unions composing the feder-
ated shop employees Of the Illinois Central
which has been refused recognition b.
President Markham of the railroad, to-day
gave thirty DAYS formal notice TO the rail-
,ead that they desire alterations In their
contracts.
This move followed communication
cf President Markham to the union repre-
sentatives in which he refused TO recog-
njze any organization except those with
which the railroad has contracts. and called
attention to the clause requiring thirty
0ays notice to abrogate the contracts.
The union representatives also forwarded
a communication TO the railroad asking for
another conference with President Mark
ham on Tuesday. He received the com
murication late In the day, and VIII walt
until tomorrow 10 formulate an answer.
"a. refused to say what his answer would
he The union leaders are confident that
he will receive them, and they intend 10
continue their efforts to gain recognition
for the federation.
The notices TO the railroad are not cam
ceIIatlons of the contracts. They were sent
I'm an effort 10 comply formally with the let
ter of the contracts, and union leaders say
they will not delay further negotiations
during the thirty day period
Several secret conferences among the
union men were held during the day, AT
which plans for future action were dis
cussed
The union men asserted that matters had
not vet progre ssed far enough to warrant
them in making public their side Of the
controversy and the railroad officials de-
clare that they already have said all they
haG to say.
Roth sides, however indicated that a
strike was not probable.