The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-07-18
AWAITING f.
ORDER TO STRIKE
TRAINMEN ON as DIFFERENT
EASTERN ROADS WOULD
BE AFFECTED.
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON
To Await White House Decision of
Their elaboration There-Eyery il
Empioye East Of Mis- i
sissippi Involved.

New York, July 15.-Whether a
strike Of upwards of 10000 conducs
tors and trainmen on As eastern rail-
roads shall be declared within the
next few days depends upon whether
the railroads recede from their pres
ent position and withdraw from their
refusal to arbitrate the wage and
other differences between the CON-
panies and men.
This declaration was made in state.
ments by the mems representatives
after the grievance committees from
the roads. gathered here in confer
ence, had ratified the strike vote al
the men recently taken and had an-
thorized A. b. Garretson, president nt
the Brotherhood Of Railway Conduc-
tors, and w. G. Lee, president Of the
Brotherhood Of Railway Trainmen. 10
issue the formal strike order to their
respective organizations.
Up to the Roads.
Peace prospects centered upon the
attitude OF the roads, the men dcciar-
ed, with h possibility that a war
out OF the deadlock would be supplied
by the conference in Washington,
where amendments to the Erdulan
law. under which previous disputes
between the roads and their men
have been arbitrated, will be consid-
cred with a view to pressing their
speedy passage upon congress.
The general committee of the two
organizations authorized Messrs. Gar
retson and Lee to delay the strike or
der long enough to permit them TO at
tend the Washington conference be-.
tween President Wilson, representa-.
tives of the railroads, and their em-
ployes. and prominent men.
The mems representatives will take
part in the conference in the hone
that it will result in the passage of
Erdman law amendments, increasing
from three to six, or more, the num-
Der OIL arbitratorS authorized to art
in disputes between railroads and their
employees.
Presidents Garretson and Lee ara
in Washington. Shortly before their
departure they issued a statement OK.
planning the action of the committee
yesterday and their attitude with re-
gard to the Washington conference.
Statement of Men.
THE committees Of the various
roads. acting independently of each
other says the statement, "unani-
mously ratified the strike vote of the
mnnharchjn ~, f1p;, IT.
and empowered the executive officers
OF the organization to fix the date for
retirement from the service. should
the attitude of the managers conrnit-
tee remain unchanged, and after talk
ing such action returned to their
homes.
with the purpose in view that no
reasonable means for effecting a
friendly settlement should be neglect
ed by us, they authorized sufficient de-
lay in making the strike order eaec-
tive to permit the undersigned to at
teEd the conference arranged for to-
morrow in Washington with President
wilson, called for the consideration
OF the amendments to the Erdman act
as embodied in the NeWlands bill, in
the hope that if such amendments
were made Immediately effective il
might induce the companies to aban-
don the position heretofore maintain
ed by he conference committee OF
managers and lead to a withdrawal OF
their former refusal of our PROPOSE
ton to arbitrate under the provisions
of the federal law"
Roads Are Notified.
The railroads We're notified today
OF the action of the mems committee
in ratifying the strike order. A for
NAL letter was sent to the roads and
at the same time a copy was made
public. The labor leaders declared
emphatically that nc further overtures
would be made to the roads.
Our position is clear" said Mr..
Garretson. I'VE offered arbitration,
weeks ago. but our offer was reject
ed"
As to whether the engineers and.
firemen would join in a sympathetic
strike, MIR. Garretson said:
THE engineers and firemen are not
bound to go out on strike with us.
On the contrary, they are bound to.
remain at their positions until such
time as they think their lives and the
lives Of their passengers are endan-
gered by having inexperienced men on.
the train crews"