Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-31


W. S. Carter, president of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Firemen and En-
ginemen, will represent the men at
the conference in Washington. A. w
. Trenholm. chairman of the managers
committee. Will represent the roads
/ The larger railroads have been pre-
pairing for a strike for several weeks.
Division superintendent have been no.
titled to question their men and pre-
pare lists of the number who can be
depended upon TO stay with their en-
gines in case a strike should be call
I ed.
II is asserted that enough assur-
ances of loyalty have been given TO
warrant the assertion that there will
be no interruption of the mail service.
However. the engine men contend that
they will be able to call out approx
mately $1,000 men. about IS per cent
OF those employed on the railroads
west of the north and south line form
ed by the Illinois Central, which road
is involved.
Each OF the terminal lines In Chi
cago, 81. Louis. Memphis, Omaha,
Kansas City and other smaller cities
is involved. and the enginemen as
sert an ability TO stop the movement
Of every pound Of freight that may
be in transit next week.
Topeka. Kan. July BE. p. Ripley,
president Of the Atchison. Topeka and
Santa Fe Railway company yester-
day addressed a letter to all employees
regarding the threatened strike.
The railroad proposes a full arbi-
tration Of all questions involved" he
says. the enginemen offer 10 arbitrate
only the question of their own de-
mauds.
We have before US the question of
being able 10 live or perish. We can
not operate except with loyal and
faithful employees. We will, of course
stand by the result of any arbitration
but 10 submit to arbitration which
ignores all justice and provides only
that the claims OF one side be adjudi-
Gated is absurd"
The wage dispute between
the enginemen of the west
ern railroads and their employ
ers reached a critical stage July 16,
1914 when, having failed TO come to
an understanding, the union chiefs and
the managers committee suspended
negotiations and the labor leaders in /
formed the managers that notice Of
strike would be served Immediately.
The mems original demands had |
been presented Oct. 10, 1913 and nego- !
tiations had been going on about |
three months. Two days later, how !
ever. both sides agreed upon federal !
arbitration although the enginemen |
previously had refused peremptorily |
70 consider il on the ground that |
the road had refused TO be governed |
by former arbitration court decisions.
Matters with the men had proceeded |
10 the taking OF a strike vote the
result of which. announced July IL,
showed that the men were almost I'M
animously in favor OF backing their
demands by a general walk-out.
Basing their demand on the increas-
I'd cost Of living, the men called for
Increases in pay and overtime allow
ances, which, they said. would just
about cover the advance in the price
1f necessities in the past four years.
In answer the roads declared the
Increases asked for would amount TO
s33, 600, 900 a year or a so per cent ad-
vance in the wages and could not be
granted.
Ninety-eight railroads we're affected
ly the demands. They inclined vir-
ually every line I'm the United States
vest OF Chicago and also the Illinois
Central road. In Canada every line
vest OF Fort William. Ontario, was
Effected except the Grand Trunk Pa
fife One hundred and forty thous'
md miles OF roadway and $4,000 en-
,fneers, firemen and hostlers drawing
.67. $50 900 annual wages were affect {
ID.
The mems committee was headed 8
" Warren S. Stone, grand chief OF
he brotherhood OF locomotive engine {
re, and ". S. Carter. president OF
he brotherhood Of locomotive f1remen {