The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-07-17
AWAITING !
ORDER TO STRIKE
TRAINMEN ON IS DIFFERENT
EASTERN ROADS WOULD
BE AFFECTED.
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON
To Await White House Decision Of
Their Deliberations There-Every
EmpIoye East Of Mis-
sissippi Involved.

New York, July 15.-Whether a
strike of upwards of $4,000 conduc-
tors and trainmen on 40 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 COM
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 Of
the men recently taken and had au-
thoriZed A. b. Garretson, president of
the Brotherhood of Railway Conduc-
tors, and W.. G. Lee, president of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, to
issue the formal strike order to their
respective organizations.
Up to the Roads.
Peace prospects conferred upon the
attitude of the roads, the men declar-
ed, with the possibility that a way
out of the deadlock would be supplied
by the conference in Washington,
where amendments to the Erdman
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 en-
ployes, and prominent men.
The mems representatives will take
part in the conference in the hope.
that it will result in the passage of
Erdman law amendments, increasing
from three to six, or more, the num-
Der of arbitrators authorized to act
in disputes between railroads and their
employees.
Presidents Garretson and Lee are
In Washington. Shortly before their
departure they issued a statement ex-
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
membership on their respective lines
and empowered the executive officers
of the organization to fix the date for
retirement from the service, should
the attitude of the managers commit
tee remain unchanged, and after TAX
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 effeo-
tive to permit the undersigned to at
tend 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 it
might induce the companies to abau-
don the position heretofore maintain
ed by the 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 were 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 no 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
iremen would join in a sympathetic
strike, Mr.. G~arretson 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 srch
time as they think their lives a the
lives OF their passengers are endan-
gered by having inexperienced men ON
the train crevc