New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-14
GLOVER LEAF bA[KS
AT ARBITRATION PACT
Road Fears Firemen May WIN
and Informs Board of Inten-
ton to Withdraw.
BREAKS WITH MANAGERS
Proposed Action Not Upheld by
Conference Committee-Flre-
men Compare Wages with
Building Trades.

An unusual situation arose al the hear
ing yesterday before the arbitration board
appointed under the Erdman act to settle
the controversy between the managers OF
the ffty-four Eastern railroads and the
fremen they employ when the announce
ment was made that the Toledo. 81. Louis
& Western Railroad, known as the Glover
Leaf" route. one of the roads which en-
tered into the arbitration agreement in
tended to withdraw from the arbitration
proceedings.
Elisha Lee. chairman of the conference
committee of managers, made 1t clear to
the board that the managers did not APP
prove Of the action contemplated by the
Glover Leaf" road.
Mr. Lee told the board that he had re-
ceived a communication from the Toledo.
ST Louis & Western to that effect. He
declared that the road in question had
signed the arbitration agreement and had
authorized the committee Of managers TO
act for il. II was understood the only
reason the road offered for Withdrawing
was that It would be unable TO meet any
increase in the firemen's wages should
the award be In their favor. As that was
the contention of all the Eastern roads
prior 10 the agreement 10 arbitrate, II was
not considered a good reason.
This board" said Judge Chambers, the
chairman. docs not recognize the right
Of any road. once party 10 this agree
ment. TO withdraw"
May Be Question for Courts.
II was explained later that while the
board has no legal power TO hold rail-
road to the arbitration agreement prior
to the making of the award, any road
which withdrew from its moral oblga-
ton under the agreement would undouht-
edly find itself in a more embarrassing po-
sition than IL II remained party 10 the
agreement and the award went against
II. The question of its liability under
the arbitration agreement. should the
award go against the railroads, might
properly be a matter to call to the at
tention Of the United States District
Court, il was said.
Mr.. Lee said that he expected to hear
again from the officials Of the road. and
hoped that they would recall" their ex-
pressed intention 10 withdraw. II is like
IL that strong pressure will be brought to
bear 10y the committee Of managers on
the officials Of the dissenting road. Mr..
Lee said he knew of no punishment that
could be melted ont TO the road if it with
drew. except that which could be inflicted
hv the brotherhood Of Firemen by a
strike II was pOinted out that the with
drawal Of the road would be good cause
for n strike. particularly II the award
should be- in favor Of the iremen.
w. :. Carter. president Of the brother
hood. said the situation would be very
serious if the road withdrew. but he would
not say what attitude the organization
might take.
Warren (. stone. president OF the Broth
erhood Of Locomotive Engineers. sat with
Mr. Carter and his associates on the labor
side Of the house at the hearing yester-
DAY. Witnesses were examined by Mr.
Carter TO show the great hazard Of the
fremens employment and the unhealth-
full physical effect Of the work. Compare
sons were drawn by witnesses between
the wages Of the men in the building
trades and the locomotive firemen, and
statistics were offered in evidence 10 show
the smaller purchasing power Of house
hold necessaries OF the freman's wage
to-day, even with 10 per cent increase
as compared with the purchasing power
in 1907. The figures were obtained from
the reports Of the federal Labor Bureau
Hard to Resist Disease.
DR.. Walter i. Cory, general medical
examiner Of the Brotherhood of Firemen.
a graduate Of the College of Physicians
and Surgeons in Chicago, testified that he
regarded the occupation Of a fireman as
extra hazardous. lie said that the work
done was so extremely fatigung that the
fremens capacity for resistance against
disease was weakened. and they were
especially subject to infectious diseases
He said the heat and light of the Are
box affected the eyesight Of the men. Ac-
cording TO the regulations Of various in
surance and casualty companies, which
the witness read the fireman is looked
upon as an extra hazardous risk, and is ex-
Guided altogether by some of the com
paNies
Miles NJ. Dawson. who was consulting
actuary for the Armstrong committee and
for similar insurance Investigations In
Canada, cOrrObOrated DR. Corys testi-
mony in regard to the extreme hazard OF
the freman's occupation. He had made
an exhaustive investigation as actuary in
regard 20 the insurance features OF the
brotherhood Of Engineers. but was not al
lowed to read his statistics on the obtec-
tion Of Mr.. Lee that they did not refer
10 the firemen.
Samuel T. Steinberger. clerk in the gen.