The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-19
They Will Not Consider
Railroads Plan of
Arbitration.
'SETH LOW CHARGES
BREA ZACH OF FAITH
He Tells Managers They Should
Have Arbitrated Wage Ques-
ton Before Their Own Griev-
ances Were Insisted Upon.
Union Executives Will
Hold Meeting To-Day.
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l

New York, July lS.-A. B. Garretson
and w. G Lee representing the $4,000
conductors and trairmen on the East
ern railroads. to-day notified the chair
men of all the unions involved to hold
themselves in readiness for an mme-
diate strike order.
The communication characterized the
arbitration scheme proposed by the
railroad managers as nothing short of
a plan to reduce the pay of every man
In the service instead of giving the 90
per cent increase, which is demanded"
While the notice. which the leaders
allied AN ultimatum, was being drawn.
seth Low, president of the National
Civic Federation. was addressing the
conference committee of the railroads.
1t is known that Mr.. Lows statements
amounted to a charge that the railroad
officials were guilty of a breach of
faith with their employees by not agree
ing to arbitrate the wage question be-
fore other grievances are taken up.
Reporters Excluded.
Mr.. Low appeared before the commit
tee at the Grand Central Station, and
newspaper reporters were excluded.
To night, however. the following letter
was forwarded to Mr.. Low by Chair
man Elisha Lee. of the committees:
I'VE think that the differences OF
opinion which seem to have existed be-
tween us are the result OF a misunder-
standing. for il is our purpose to carry
out TO the fullest extent any pledges
made by our presidents, and we are
glad TO have your assurance that moth
ing in your letter was intended to
charge intentional bad faith.
For your information we forward
herewith copy OF our letter of this
date to Messrs Garrctson aud Lee.
| The letter TO the union leaders to
which reference is made suggests that
ha IF Iot lo
Erdman act as amended by the New
lands law. be permitted to decide
which grievances should be arbitrated
first.
Messrs. Lee and Garrctson refused to
comment OH the letter, but 1t is known
that the plan OF procedure proposed
Is not satisfactory to them.
Here is the substance OF tho notice
sent to all the local chairmcn of the
conductors and trainmen:
You will understand from this that
the managers committee really pro-
poses Il reduction OF pay for every man
now in the service, the greater proper
ton Of such reduction being directed
against the passenger men and the
freight men in the abolition of all
monthly guarantees. and against yard
and road brakemen in the insistence
that the same classification shall be
applied to all of the crew.
Copy for EncI Employc.
Copies OF this letter are being fur
nished all local chairmen in sufficient
number for them to see TO ii that each
member and nonmcmbcr of our class
receives true copy at once.
1T is needless TO say that no arbi-
tration cmbodying these propositions
will even be considered. and If insisted
upon by the management only one
thing can result. viz: the setting OF
the hour for retirement from service"
There will be meeting of the COM
mittce of l00 union executives at the
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