Evening journal., 1913-05-03
RAILROAD
men ORDER
STRIKE VOTE
Companies Refuse $l7,OOO,OOO
Demand Of Trainmen After
Long ParIey
EXPECT Overwhelming
VOTE FOR WALK OUT

A strike vote OF the 100000 con
ductors and trainmen on railroad in
Eastern territory was ordered last
night by the mems representatives,
who have been in conference with the
railroad managers here over demands
for increased wages recently submit
ted by the employees. This will apply
to men on the railroad lines passing
through Wilmington.
The roads on Thursday denied the
mems demands, and yesterday refus-
cd a proposition to submit the dis
pute to arbitration. This refusal was
speedily followed by meeting of the
mems committee, az which II was un-
animously decided TO order a poll to
determine whether the power to call
a strike should be put in the hands
of the leaders Formal notice of this
action was served upon the roads last
evening in a letter signed A. Garrett
son, president of the Order of Rail-
way Conductors. and w. G.. Lee, presi-
dent of the Brotherhood OF Railroad
Trainmen. II is expected the polling
will occupy two weeks or more.
eI have nc doubt" said Mr. Gar
rotson last night, In New York, that
the trainmen will vote overwhelm-
ingly authorizing a strike In case
wage increases arc not granted. We
expect TO be back in New York in a
month or six weeks. with the vote
all counted. and then VIC will again
meet the railroad managers.
"Of course We will do all in ouI
power to settle our differences peace
ably, hut I cannot predict what the
outcome will be-"
The ballots will be distributed
among the 10000 conductors and 70,-
600 trainmen AS soon as the ink is
dry. Voting will begin next week and
will last three weeks.
Roth Sides Bitter.
There is bitterness between the
railroad managers and the trainmen
so that the prospect Of a strike in
volving all the big lines in the Easl
is said TO be more definite now thar
any time in the last few years. The
roads assert that the trainmen goI
IN 1910 $30,00000 increase in wages
and they say that was all that wa:
or is coming to them" The pres
cnt increases asked for viii total sl7s
100000, the managers say.
But what mostly makes the rail
road executives angry, they say, i
the fact that the trainmen are re
sponsible for the crusade that ha'
caused eight or nine State Begisla
lures to put full crew" acts on th'
statute books, beginning with Ar
kansas and including Washington
Indiana Ohio, Pennsylvania, Mary
land, New York and New Jersey
The railroads say the full crew laws
will cost them s5.000.O00 r year more
Tn their refusal 10 arbitrate undel
The Erdrnan act the railroad mana
gers say:
''As 10 arbitration under the law, /
was only at the urgent request o
the representatives of the Government
and under the strongest protest thu
managers we're able TO voice, that
feeling some adjustments of pay werl
due tho fremen, they agreed TO arbi
trste the hremen's wage controyers.
under the Erdmsn act. At that tim'
VIC warned the public that the con
ductors and trainmen had made simi
lar demands for increased wages. ant
We put the public on notice as to tn
crisis that would confront them whei
those demands we're considered"
The roads expressed objection Il
the Erdman act is that It. puts tor
much power that responsible on tn
thirS man.
R( rt Of Traiumen.
In their reioinder to the refusal o
arbitration the men, in announcing
70 the roads that strike vote will
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