The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-01-31
STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC
From the Fifty-four Railroads of the
East

New York, Jan. 29.-The following
statement has been issued by the fif-
ty-four Eastern railroads involved in
a wage controversy with locomotive
firemen:
Notwithstanding the offer of the
fifty-four railroads in the Eastern sec
ton of the country, as made public
yesterday, to grant certain increases
in wages or to arbitrate their differ
ences With the flremen, the confer
erlce committee of managers received
no intimation that the fremen were
recalling their strike ballot.
The men are continuing their vote
to determine whether or not to strike.
The railroads concede that the vote
will be favorable to striking.
A strike means that practically
every railroad east of the Mississippi
and north of Virginia will be tied up.
In their instruction to the various
lodges sent out by the firemen's COM
mittee to all of the branches OF the
organization there is this paragraph:
Under no circumstances should
any person voting be told that there
l6 uO udu6Cl vi ollAhOb LOi ~ 80 "a
pected that every man will vote just
as he intends to act. If he does not
I expect to leave the service of the
company, If necessary, he should not
deceive the officers of the brother
hood by voting Yes"
| The railroads stand prepared tc
grant certain increases they agree
| that the flremen deserve adjustments
in their wages. Their duties are diff
flcult and their claims merit atten
ton. But the men are taking a STRIKE
ballot upon a proposition to demand
increased pay amounting to $4,000
900 annually, or thirty-five percent
of the total amount now paid to fire
men in this territory. This amount
the railroads contend, is neither wal
ranted by conditions, nor within tn
power of he companies to pay, hay
ing due regard to their other obliga
tons.
The eastern railroads insist tina
their differences with the fireme
shall be arbitrated in such wa
that the interests of the public a
well as the men and the railroad
shall be guarded.
The form of arbitration followe
in the engineers case protected tn
public, the employees and the raj
roads.
At recet conference between tn
fremen's committee and the railroa
managers President w. s. Carter c
the firemen used this language.
81 speak the truth when / say ths
: railroad employees are anxious ths
; our little private troubles should nc
! result In injury to both of us.
This public that you are talkin
about sometimes had best not kno'
our troubles"
'If," added Mr. Carter, there
! anything In the world we absolutel
refuse to do, it is to go through wit
Burlington Jan 30--Harry F. Whit
which was practically fiasco."
| The so-called "fiasco" Mr.. Carte
!. refers to was an arbitration before
. board composed OF Oscar S. Straus
, New York, Charles r. Van Sise I
! Madison. Wis; Frederick n. Judso
a of st. Louis. Albert Shaw OF Ne
!. York, Otto NJ. Eldlitz of New Yor
n Daniel Willard. President of the Ba
tlmore and Ohio Railroad. and P.
Morrlssey. former Grandmaster
+ the Brotherhood of Railroad Trai
Il men. This board was appointed
Q Chief Justice White OF the Unite
!. States Supreme Court, M. A. KNAPP
=. Presiding Judge of the CONNER
a Court, and Charles p NELL, Unit,
4 States Commissioner of Labor.