New-York tribune., 1912-04-20
ENGINEERS THREATENED
STRIKE IS POSTPONED
Conference Arranged for Mon
day to Try Once More for
a Settlement.
NELL HERE AS MEDIATOR
Stone Gives Railroads a Few
Hours to Grant Demands,
but Yields When Asked
for More Time.

The situation arising out Of the refusal
Of the demands Of the Brotherhood OF Lo-
conotiye Engineers made on the Eastern
railroads became acute yesterday ana Ior
the first time a strike threat was sent 10
the committee Of railroad managers. Ihs
was in the form Of letter to j. Q. stuart
chairman of the committee, by Warren 5.
Stone. grand chief Of the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers. The strike order'
Il was agreed, is to be held IN aoeyance
pending the result Of a meeting OF the man
ayers committee, which has been calleo
for Monday.
On account of the gravity Of the situ-
alton, Charles P. Neill, United States LABOR
Commissioner came TO New York last night
20 look over matters, It is said, and see II
arbitration of the controversy under the
Frdman act could not be brought ABOUT
The act is not mandatory, and while COM
missioner Neill may start a private IN
ouIry both sides must consent before tnere
can be arbitration under its provisions
The letter OF Mr.. Stone TO Mr.. Stuart
said in part:
We again reafirm our requests, mace 9n.
der date of January @ and reafflrmeu uiiue .tei
date Of March Is, because we peneEe c5 .1tTt
neers EMPLOYED on the roads representeu
are Justly entitled 10. In this Gomez. g
we have carefully considered that poi ", " =,
your letter setting forth the reasons corn.
ths comnanies represented by your coIn-
nnIttee cannot increase the wages OF ,nn lnei.
engineers We desire 10 call your aleen alee ~,
10 the fact that the Tallr0ao Conip ar5I South
east are at the present time paying . 80
engineers approximately the sahe hnate1
we are coutending for here, VIII uec 20
working conditions than we are ASKING loi %
Tn vour letter of March Is, ana again vi ~!
AnrIl 1S YOU place your refusal 70 gl"te ~
3he Increases ION the ROADS lhapIIISS
nav more" and offer nothing peyonu "a
kaya statement TO substantiate II, regsru-
less OF the fact that financial reports snow s,y
both Increased earnings ana Noluiiie VI O''-
ness ,,--,or 6acrne 10
.ccant vour letter as settlement OF tIo
ease They viii wait until P. m. r TUE ~ :,
April 10 for any further ,seyars susseeeU' NAV
InL - mako Receiving none. they VIII
cnrs s,der your answer of April lS fnal' an, anH
the chairmen will leave the GU! 10 i0o'
after the interests OF the orsanlHa!t,ion -io,
Wn viii give YOU two hours notlce pIiui pIu
70 I witnos1mlttS tnroas1sctS1,Iiv. W. s. STONE.
Nv stpart's reply to Mr. Stone follows:
Ran,ving TO your letter of this morning,
ADVISING that ''your committee woulo wal wal
until p. m to-day for any l, IuIther ,oe5-
esars NAV wish to make. Receiving Hone
they will consider the answer OF .So nprn n,tS y,
final and the chairmen Will leave tne GloS
fo look after the interests Oh tne oI sdIIIIIe
tion Won will give two hours nooce prloI,
10 Withdrawing the men from the servics9;.
rbe members of the conference co1nint-
tee have returned to their duties s,iii ahd iaSe
twenty.four 10 forty-eight hours Tor them
10 return TO New York. ~, ou .
n YOU desire and so ADVISE VIII can a. q
=
convene Monday and lay your co1nmurlc@-
zion before them Yours truly o,
Nv" ]. c. STUART, Chairman.
Then Mr.. Stone wrote in part
.Tn view Of the statements contained IN
ronr former communications regarding
fhe duties of manager to the puDhc. We
we're greatly astonished TO learn they mao
Senarted from the city at a period when
,1egotiations were at an acute stage lnls
action I'm our opinion. invites the thoughl
that the manasers court ,Gf,I TTnHrt in.st that
in The future no further delays OF this kind
occur. ., ,,, b.
IN an earnest desire to find solution of
the controversy and prevent stoppage OF
traffic, with its attendant loss ana suner-
ing to the public. we will accept your pro-
Strict neutrallty will be maintained during
the forty eight hour period.
II Is said that Grand Chief Stone has re-
reived within the last two days a COM
roun,cation from Grand Chief Carter, Of
,ba brotherhood of Firemen and Engine
men. assuring him Of the support and CO.
oneration OF the 1remen in case Of strike,
nv which is meant not that the fremen
would go on a sympathetic strike but that
they would not work with non-union engi-
neers.
II wa. said that President Taft was be-
hind the coming of United States Labor