Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-07-31

SOUTHERN PACIFIC
MEN VOTE TO STRIKE
Ninety-six Per Cent of Employees Will
Walk Out Unless Differences
Are Adjusted.
MEDIATION TO BE INVOKED
BY RAILROAD COMPANY
Long Telegram Is Sent to President of
Board of Mediation and concil-
iation at Capital.
(uNIrRp pREss lEAsEp wInp.l

San Francisco, July 31.-Ninety-six
per cent of the trainmen and conduc-
tors employed on the Pacific division
OF the Southern Pacific system have
voted to strike, unless their differences
with the management over the terms Of
employment, rating and seniority al.
lowed on the cOmpany's electrified
lines can be adjusted.
The result of the vote, which stands
1916 in favor of striking to 1877 against
was made public here last night.
Enginemen Consider Question.
The grand officers and the joint gen.
eral committee of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers and the Brother.
hood of Locomotive Firemen and En-.
ginemen are on their way to San Fran.
cisco to take up the same problem from
their viewpoint, and will arrive Friday
night or Saturday morning.
Specifically the conductors and train,
men contend that their rights as main
line employees should extend into sub
urban territory, and that the promotion
and seniority schedules of electric lines
should be the same as those of mair
lines.
Change Of Policy opposed.
They say that within the past weeE
the company had posted notices in
Oakland offering to employ men at 81
cents an hour for suburban work, which
on the main line is paid for at go cents
an hour.
In this and in the appointment Of
Paul ShOupp, of the Pacific Electric
lines in Los Angeles county, nOnunior
subsidiary Of the Southern Pacific, tt
be vice-president of the Southern Pa
cific in charge of its electric service
the union believe they see plan &c
extend the Pacific Electric policies t
other territory.
Company Would Arbitrate.
Southern Pacific officials announced
last night they would invoke the medi
alton Of the national gOernment through
the Newlands act to settle difficulties
with their employees.
The engineers, firemen and engine
men have requested the conductors anC
trainmen to defer final action unit
their own attitude can be determined
Approximately 1900 men are involv
ed and the territory affected extends
from Portland, Or, to the Gulf of Mex
leo and from Ogden and FL Paso to the
coast.
The company contends its policy o.
segregating its electric lines is neces
sary for efficiency and economy.
Electricity in Infancy.
The San Francisco suburban business
of the Southern Pacific. and the Port
land division in Oregon, now in process
of being electrified, are the two field
wherein the issue first became acute
but the unions realize that electric ser
vice is in its infancy and they wish t,
settle at the outset conditions surround
ing at as they affect employment.
Explaining the position Of the rail
road William Sproule, president of tn
Southern Pacific company, in state
ment last night said arbitration Of va
rious differences with the men has beei
in progress since the middle of Marcl
and everything except the jurisdiction
of the men s organizations over electro
lines has been adjusted. Invocation o
the Newlands act, under the circum
stances, Mr.. Sproule pronounces
public duty"
A telegram about 2OOO words lonI
was forwarded last night by Presiden
Sproule to the board Of mediation an,
conciliation at Washington, invoking
the services. Of the board and including
copies of all correspondence betweel
the men and the railroad officials.
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