New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-25
RAILROAD HEADS SEE
VICTORY IN AWARD
New York Central and the New
Haven Engineers Will Gain
Little, They Say.
SMALL LINES PAY MORE
Presidents and Managers OF
Eastern Lines Favor Plan Of
Official Arbitration
Men Oppose It.

In the case of some of the large roads
the wages awarded to-day by the arbitrd-
ton board in the railroad engineers con-
troversy were little higher, il any, than
the wages now paid, but in the smaller
roads, which are not on as good paying
basis. the increase. which is practically
levelling up of the wages, Is consid-
cradle.
Regarding the suggestion Of a system
Of official arbitration, which the labor
member of the committee il opposed 10
on the ground that it would mean COM
pulsory arbitration, representatives Of the
railroads said yesterday that the pressure
of public opinion would have good deal
to do with furthering legislation which
would make this possible
Vice President John b. Kerr, OF the
New York, Ontario & Western Railroad,
said the wages awarded would be slight
percentage over the wages paid on that
road.
The award" he continued, will be
hard on the smaller roads or roads which
are not yielding much profit. The I'M
fortunate part OF the matter is that we
have now TO face the demands of the
liremen, trainmen and others for large
Increases in wages, the demands OF the
iiremen being in already.
las to compulsory arbitration, It would
be a good thing If some system could be
devised by which strikes such as threat
encd by the engineers before arbitration
was decided on could not take place.
The decision of the arbitrators on
such cases, however, as far as / can see
now, could be enforced on the railroads,
but could not be enforced OH the men.
The force OF public opinion sometimes is
strong enough to avert such industrial
disturbances. but not always"
w. {. Brown, president of the New
York Central Railroad, was in favor OF a
system OF arbitration.
Il believe" he said, that IL should not
be In the power Of a corporation or any
body OF employees because of an indus
trial dispute to tie up all the traffic in
the East by a strike which would para
lyze traffic, shut off the delivery OF food
stuffs and all other necessaries and bring
about a condition OF affairs which would
cause suffering 10 the entire community.
As TO the possibility OF bringing about
legislation which would make such a
calamity impossible through a system OF
arbitration | am not prepared to say, but
the public should be consIdereds and If
such legislation is brought about public
opinion ought to be a great factor in the
matter.
"As to the wages in the award, they
are approximately the wages paid on the
New York Central or most Of its lines
No doubt the raising Of the wages to this
level will come hard on the smaller lines.
What | have said regarding some official
means OF preventing a railroad strike
such as was threatened ought, in my
opinion. 10 apply to gas companies and
their employees
A representative OF the Erie Railroad
said the wages awarded might mean a
small advance on some OF the sections OF
the Erie Railroad. The Erie in its agree
ments with the engineers and other EN-
ployes on its operating force gave the
average wages paid by the principal
roads.
AS TO the suggestion of a system OF
arbitration by which the findings OF an
arbitration board could be made compul-
sorry" he continued, "it would be fought
by all the labor unions. Under the pres
ent Constitution / do not see how any
employe could be compelled 10 work II he
did not want to work"
The firemen on the Eastern roads, who
agreed TO postpone the discussion Of their
demands on the fifty-two Eastern rail-
roads with the managers committee. are
now waiting their turn. President W. S.
Carter. of the Brotherhood OF Locomotive
Firemen and Enginemen, who came to this
city last evening from Washington. said
he believed the adjustment committee OF
ffty-two representing the firemen on the
Eastern roads would be ready TO meet
the managers committee Of the railroads
on Monday next, as suggested by J. G.
Stuart, chairman Of the managers COM
mittee. Regarding the award in the case
OF the engineers, he said:
1.-THE engineers, | believe, will be dis
appointed They expected good deal
more. AS to compulsory arbitration. every
worker in the country would oppose IL. II
is contrary 10 the principles of the Amer
lean Constitution, and would be what