South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-07-14
Declaration of HOStiIitieS De-
penis Upon Whether Refusal
viii be Made to Arbitrate
Wages and Other Differences
MAY FIND WAY OUT
THROUGH ERDMAN LAW
Organizations Delay Order for
War Until Leaders Can At
tend Conference at Washing
ton With Pres. Wilson.

NEW YORK. July 14.-Whether a
strike or upwards Of $4,000 conduc-
tors and trainmen on 45 eastern rail-
roads shall be declared within the
next few days. depends upon whe ther
the railroads recede from their pres
ent position and withdraw from their
refusal to arbitrate the wages and
other differences between the COM
panies and the men. This declaration
was made SUNDAY night in state
ments by the mems representatives
after the grievances committees from
the various roads, gathered here in
conference, had ratified the strike
vote of the men recently taken and
had authorized A. b. GarretsOn, presi-
dent of the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen, 10 issue the formal strike
order to their respective OrganiZa-
uons That the peace prospects CEN
tered upon the attitude of the roads,
the men declared with the pOsSib bility
that way out of the deadlock viii
be supplied by Mondays conference
In Washington. where amendments to
the Erdman law, under which pre-
vious disputes between the roads and
their men have been arbitrated Will
DE considered with "A view to pressing
their speedy passage upon congress.
Wilson i'm Conference.
The general committee Of the two
organizations authorized Messrs. Gar
retson and Lee 10 delay the strike or
der long enough to permit them to
attend the Washington conference be-
tween President Wilson, representa-
uVes of the roads and their employees
and prominent public men. The
mems representatives will take part
In the conference in the hope that il
will result in the passage of the Erd-
man law amendments in accord TO
three to six or more the number Of
arbitratOrs authorized TO act in dis
putes between the roads and their
employees.
i has been made plain that the
roads chief objection TO the Erd-
man arbitration is that too much re-
sponsibility rests upon single man
the third or neutral arbitrator.
Presidents GarretsOn and Lee left
Sunday night for Washington. Short
ly before their departure they issued
81 signed statement explaining the
action Of the committee Sunday and
their attitude with regard to the
Washington conference.
THE committees of the various
roads, acting independently of each
other" says the statment "unani-
mously ratified the strike vote Of the
membership on their respective lines
and empowered the executive OF the
organizations TO fix the date for re-
tirement from the service, should the
attitude of the managers committee
remain unchanged, and after taking
such action returned 10 their homes.
With the purpose in view that no
reasonable means for effeCting a
friendly settlement should be neg
lected by us. they authorized suffi-
cient delay In making the strike order
effective 10 permit the undersigned to
attend the conference arranged for
Monday in Washington with Presi-
dent Wilson. called for the consid-
Grafton OF the amendments 10 the
Erdman act as embodied in the
Newlands bill in the hope that If such
amendments were made Immediately
effective II might induce the COM
panies to abandon the position main
tanned by the committee Of managers
heretofore. and lead TO "a withdrawal
OF their formal refusal OF our propo-
siton TO arbitrOte under the provis-
ions OF the federal law
Notified Today.
Mr.. Lee announced that the rail-
roads would be notified Monday of
the action of the mems committee in
ratifying the strike order formal
letter viii be sent 10 the roads and
at the same time a copy Will be made
public. The labor leaders declared
emphaticauy that no further over
lures would be made TO the roads.
our position is plain and clear" "
said President Garretson. I'VE Of
fered arbitration weeks ago, but our
offer was rejected"
In the formal report on the vote OF
the men on each railroad IL is set
forth that the conference commit
tee authorized 10 act for such road
declined to make any concession or
grant any portion of the increase in
wages asked for. or changed working
conditions requested and in addition
have refused 10 submit the conference
10 arbitration under the federal law
In effect governing such matters"
The issue being thus drawn and the
men having voted 10 strike If their
demands were refused. IL remained
for the general committee OF the men
10 ratify the strike votes. This was
done sunday. and according 10 the
probably dEdl Tuesday 20 change
their attitude, when, IL they still re-
fuse the strike order viii be issued.
calling $4,000 or more men from
work, with a possibility that this
number WI be augmented by thou
sands Of engineers and firemen.
AS t1 whether the engineers and
hremen would join in a sympathetic
strike. Mr.. GarretsOn said:
The engineers and fremen are not
bound 20 so out on strike with US.
on the contrary, they are bound 10
remain az their positions until such
time as they think their lives and
theliyes OF their passengers are en-