New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-09
The Railroad Mems Vote to Strike
and What 1t Means.

The Withdrawal of the Erie Railroad from the
conference of railroads shows what is eNpec'eu
from the demands of the conductors and tralnmeh
and their threat TO strike. The Erie believes that
the dispute will end its predecessors have ehdeu
in arbitration and compromise giving the men
higher wages as the easiest way out. The Elle
feels that it cannot pay higher wages and with
draws so as not to be bound by the award of the
expected arbitration.
It is plain that the conductors and trainmen eX-
pect the same conclusion. 1t is not to be SuppOseu
that they would all so cheerfully vote to strike II
they did not believe that the threat to strike would
he sufficient to set the machinery in motion which
always leads now to higher pay and easier condi-
tions of labor. 4 strike in any industry shoulu
be the last resort of men who are rendered deS-
perate by conditions, by low pay and excessive
hours.
DO the conductors and trainmen hope to convince
the public that their situation justities strike!
They count upon not being forced ever to JUSTIFY
striking. Men whose wages were literally in
creased three years ago are not in position 10
declare q strike now tying up the industry and
commerce Of the country if they have any regard
for public opinion. When their wages were last
readjusted they readjusted under CONDITIONS
extremely favorable to the wage earners The New
90
former labor leaders, and their award was subse-
quently adopted by the other railroads. The CON
ductors and trainmen may be entitled to more pay
now Int il is incredible that their needs are such
as to Justify their going to the extreme of striking
The ease with which an advance in wages is now
obtained under the Erdman act has taken away
from the railroad laborers all sense of RESPONSE
II ty in voting to strike. They are no longer CON
5fronted by the prospect of bitter fight, period
of want for themselves and their families. and the
possibe loss of Jobs in the end. All that vote to
Strike means is a period of negotiations, subnlated
bufing on both sides public alarm, intervention by
somebody arbitration ending in a compromise ana
higher wages That is what the Erie Railroad
expects in this instance 1t is what the men ex-
pect 1t is what everybody expects. 1t is process
susceptible of grave abuse. If all that the EN-
Moves of the railroads have to do is to demand
higher wages every two or three years In order 10
set in motion machinery that invariably awards
higher wages they have the public by the throat.
The public is the paymaster now. And like most
new paymasters it is easy paymaster. 1t has
raised the wages of all classes of railroad workers
lin the last three years. 1t is likely soon to raise
the rates which it pays for the carrying Of freight
i'm orler that the railroads may be able to pay the
bigbey wages 1t is probably going to begin the
process of raising railroad employees wages all over
again in the case Of the trainmen and conductors
This is a process to which there is no end, unless
the public perceves whittier it leads and begins TO
deal fEmly and justly with the demands as they
are made And it is to call attention to the need OF
change to emphasize the dangers of abuse In the
present system not to oppose arbitration II tne
issue comes to that nor to oppose the granting OF
higher wages. if they may be fairly required, that
this article is written