New-York tribune., 1912-04-07
SEEK TO EVADE STRIKE
Railroads and Engineers Plan
More Peace Negotiations.
WALK-OUT VOTE THIS WEEK
Suspension Of Trains Due to
Mine Shutdown to Throw
Firemen Out of Work

The managers committee OF twelve, rep
resenting the fifty Eastern railroads which
have refused the demands of the locomo-
tive engineers for higher wages it was
stated yesterday, do not regard the nego-
tiations with the committee of the ensi-
neers as ended. though the engineers are
now balloting on the question OF strike.
Warren s Stone. grand chief of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. and
the committee Of fifty which made the de-
mands. are to be in this city on Tuesoa''
and will get the result Of the vote on
Wednesday, when IL is to be announced III
this city. According to Mr.. Stone the vote
is sure TO be for strike, in which case the
committee OF railroad managers VIII be In
formed OF the result OF the vote, and an
other attempt will be made by the engi-
neers to bring about an amicable settle
ment before a strike is declared. Some
times action is postponed for a long time
after a strike vote is taken.
When Mr.. Stone was last in this city he
said that the fremen, most of whom can
run a locomotive, would not take the places
OF engineers in case of a strike. The most
recent developments in relation TO the coal
situation have not put the engineers in a
position which will strengthen their hold
on the firemen The throwing out OF COM
mission of 125 freight trains by the Lehigh
Valley Railroad last week because OF the
reduction of the volume of tonnage, owing
20 the suspension Of work in the anthracite
and btuminous coal fields, which will be
followed by similar action by other coal
roads. il was stated, will give the engineers
of these trains places at the expense Of the
fremen.
The engineers are recruited from the
ranks of the firemen. and IL is the ambi-
ton of firemen TO be promoted TO be en-
gineers. For many years a seniority sys-
TEN prevailed on the railroads, and still
prevails by which. I'm case of laying on
men through slackness of work. the men
most recently employed are discharged
temporarily. When trains are put out OF
commission the engineers are put In the
places OF 1remen. at fremen's wages, fire.
men being retired TO make room for them.
If the suspension in the coal fields lasts
long FIVE hundred engineers and five hun
dred fremen or more may be thrown idle.
A representative of one Of the railroads
said regarding this contingency:
by the seniority rule. if one hundred
firemen and one hundred engineers are
thrown idle. one hundred more fremen are
laid off to provide work for the one hum
dred engineers. who will then act as fire.
men, at fremens wages This rule is car.
ried out without any reference TO the
unions the men belong to- and applies to
the engineers who are working as such,
but who are in the Brotherhood of Firemen
and Enginemen. not being In the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers, as we'll as
10 members Of the latter.
'If five hundred engineers and five hun
dred fremen had to be laid off. five hum
dred more fremen would have to be laid
off to give work to the engineers. As to
gineers. the firemen who can run engines
would take the places of engineers It
would be hard to say.
II have an idea that Mr. Stone would
know.
AT a strike of locomotive fremen many
years ago the engineers worked with nom
union fremen. When the strike OF the
trainmen, who were then members Of the
knights of Labor. took place against the
New York Central about twenty years ago.
the engineers decided to remain at work.
OF course, that is long time ago. and the
engineers and the firemen may be very
good friends now, for anything l know.
But the engineers did not refuse to work
with non-union men when the fremen
struck. That might. however. be looked
on as a different proposition from taking
the places of strikers"