The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-07-16
Eastern Railroad Men Agree to Pre-.
sent Their Appeal to commls-
sloners Under Now
lands Bill.
TELEGRAPH TO WILSON
Erie Road is Not In tho Agreement
and There Is Chance for a
Strike on That
Line.

Limited Press Leased Wire Servicel
NEW YORK, July 16.-When the
conference committee OF railroad man
ayers and the committee OF 100 repre-
senting the trainmen and conductors
OF the eastern railroads met today to
make arrangements for the arbitration
OF their wage differences, two points
had come up which caused serious de-
Iyelopments, one the threatened strike
on the Erie railroad and the other was
the expressed intention Of the railway
managers to bring up grievances they
have against the employees for arbitra.
tion as well as submitting to consider.
alton the mems demands for increased
wages. In statement issued today
President Lee of the trainmen and
| President Garretson OF the conductors
union give their approval to the stand
of the employees Of the Erie railroad,
in demanding that their system must
abide by the decision of the arbitra- (.
tion board in the matter Of wage in
creases. Seventy-five committeeman,
representing the Erie conductors and
trainmen met here today to consider
! the action to be taken in case the
railroad remains firm in It's refusal to
take any part in the proceedings. II
was reported that unless the Erie
i agreed to arbitrate along with the 9TH
er roads q strike might be called with
in thirty-six or forty-eight hpnrss
II The statement issued by the heads
OF the two unions declared that the
Erie, the New Jersey and New York
and the New York, Susquehanna and
Western gave official notice with 9th
er lines last January on authority
granted the conference committee of
managers to represent the road in the
negotiations which extended from
January to July /, when the strike
vote was taken.
mo intimation was given to us that
the Erie was not dealing in good faith.
The Erie men therefore are justified
in their contention that whatever
award is rendered by arbitration on
other roads must also apply to the
[ Erie," the statement declares.
In letter to the heads OF the un-
ions the conference committee OF man.
ayers stated that all differences rela-
} tive to pay and working conditions
! would now be arbitrated. The union
1 men are of the opinion that the word
"all'' may prove to be joker and
when the two committees went in ses,
!. sion there was a wide difference OF
: opinion as to how much ground the
discussions during the arbitration pro.
ceedings should cover. 1t was under
stood that the managers were prepar-
! ed to argue that their proposed work
7 ing agreements and wage scales to be
: given them were to be arbitrated while
v the employees would insist that their
: demands for twenty percent increase
J. and improved working conditions were
the only points that should be dis.
J. cussed.
Agree to Arbitration.
J. NEW YORK, July 16.-The confer.
0 ence committee of railway managers
L and the heads of the trainmens ana
II conductors unions today formally and
). unoualiiedly agreed to submit the
n wage dispute involving the eastern
a railroads to arbitration under the pro-
It visions of the amended Erdman act.
+ A joint telegram signed by Elisha
r Lee, chairman of the conference COM
e mittee and Presidents Garretson and
Lee of the unions was sent to Presi-
dent Wilson urging the early appoin..
ment of the commissioners of media
Is tion and arbitration as provided in the
=, Newlands bill and requesting the pres
If ence of the commissioners in New
York.