Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-12-09
PROGRESS OF R.R.
ARBITRATION BOARD
Testimony Of Engineers and
Firemen Being Taken
at Chicago.

Chicago, Dec. 7-Substantial prog
ress in the arbitration wage hearing
of the employees Of ninety-eight West
ern roads was made during the past
week. The arbitration board, consist
ing of six members, began it's work
last Monday, Nov. 30th, and contin-
ued throughout the week, adjourning
Friday evening until Monday, Dec. 7.
Because of the fact that the $4,000
locomotive engineers, firemen and
hostlers of the Western roads are en-
deavoring to standardize wages and
obtain better working conditions, the
burden is upon them to impress the
arbitration board with the merit of
their cause.
This means that the two bodies
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engi-
neers and the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen-are
offering their testimony first, putting
on witnesses and presenting exhibits
to prove their case. 1t probably will
take several weeks to complete their
side of the issue and then the rail-
road companies, through James M.
Sheean, their counsel, will offer re-
buttal testimony. The railroads claim
that if they meet the demands of the
employees in his instance it will cost
them between $30,000,0 900 and $4,000.
900; the men say this is an exagger-
alton, it is expected that the COM
panies will plead poverty and will
hold that the present rate Of compen-
sation for engineers, firemen and
hostlers is high enough. 1t is report
ed that the railroads have a mass of
evidence to bolster up this claim and
there is good deal of speculation in
financial and labor circles as to wheth-
er, or not, they will include in this
symposium references to watered
stock and how much it costs the rail-
roads Of the country each year to try
to pay dividends on such stock.
The features of the past week were
a strong Introductory speech by War
rem S. Stone, President of the engi-
neers' brotherhood, on Monday; the
testimony of M. w. Cadle, Assistant
Grand Chief of the engineers body,
who was on the stand for two days;
the testimony of Walter D. Moore, a
clerk in the grand lodge office of the
6remen"s brotherhood; testimony Of
William S. Carter, President of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen, who presented an i'm
portant exhibit; and the evidence pre-
sented by Samuel T. Steinberger, a
clerk in the grand lodge Office of the
flremen's organization, who was the
last witness to testify Friday eve
ming.
Mr.. Stone, who is forceful talker,
in his Introductory remarks empha-
sized the increased responsibilities,
and the more arduous and more stren-
uous labors to which the engineers,
jected in recent years. Mr.. Stone
made some pungent comparisons that
apparently impressed the arbitration
board deeply. He said, for instance,
that before machine or locomotive
owned by the railroads becomes out
of date or is more-or-less worn out, it
has earned enough for it's owner to
permit him to buy new one to sup
plant it.
1--WE all realize enough must be saw
ed from the earnings of the locomo-
tive to buy a new one when the old
one is worn out" remarked Mr.. Stone.
what we have not yet learned is that
labor must be paid enough to make
good this worn out human machine"
Mr.. Stone at another time graphic
ally pictured the high Importance Of
the work of the engineers and fire.
men, and he said, "You can have the
finest railroad in the world with road
bed and equipment Of the very best
and latest type, every known safety
device, the road Differed by compe-