Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-07-31
OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THAT
ENGINEERS AND FIREMEN
WILL QUIT AUG. 2.
NINETY.EIGHT WESTERN
RAILROADS TO BE AFFECTED
Acceptance Of Plan Of Settlement Pro-
posed by General Board Of Media
ton by General Managers Commit
toe, Would Prevent Suspension Of
Work-History Of Wage Dispute.

Chicago, July 31.-A strike of $4,000
firemen and engineers On ninety eight
railroads operating west of Chicago.
has been set for Friday, Aug Z, it was
officially announced today. William S.
Stone, grand chief engineer Of the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers.
and w. S. Carter, president Of the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen, declared the order
would be put into effect unless the
general managers committee Of >the
railroads accepted the plan Of settle
ment proposed by the fedora! board OF
mediation.
The wage dispute between the en-
ginemen Of the western railroads and
their employers reached critical
stage July l6, when, having failed to
come to an understanding, the union
chiefs and the managers committee
suspended negotiations and the labor
leaders informed the managers that
notice of strike would he served i'm
mediately.
The mems original demands had beer
presented Oct. 10, 1913. and .negotia-
tions had been going on about three
months. Two days later. however, both
sides agreed upon federal arbitration
altho the enginemen previously had re-
fused peremptorily to consider 1t on
the ground that the roads had refused
to be governed by former arbitration
court decisions. Matters with the men
had proceeded to the taking Of a strike
vote the result of whi,h, announced
July IA, showed that the men were
almost unanimously in favor of back
ing their demands by a general walk :
out.
Basing their demand on the in
creased cost of living. the men called
for increases in pay and overtime al
lowances. which, they said. would just
about cover the advance in the price OF
necessities IN the past four years. In
answer the roads declared the in
creases asked for would amount to
100000 a year or so per cent ad-
vance in wages and could not be
granted.
Ninety Eight Roads Affected.
Ninety eight railroads were affected
by the demands. They Included vir-
tually every line in the United States
west Of Chicago and also the Illinois
Central road. In Canada every line
west of Fort William. Canada, was at
fected except the Grand Trunk Pacific.
One hundred and forty thousand miles
of roadway and $4,000 engineers, fire
men and host]/s drawing $67,75O,O00
annual wages were affected.
The mems committee vas headed by
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen. A. w. Treukolm. gem
eral manager Of the Chicago. St. Paul.
Minneapolis & Omaha railway. was
chairman of the managers committea .
The last general movement by the
enginemen for an increase in wages
was in 1910. at which time they OBJ
tanned an increase OF about 10 per cent
Since they. they declare. the roads
have greatly increased their revenues
and facilities. Preparation of the mems
case indicated their Close observation
of the proceedings Of the interstate
commerce commission. Every report
of the roads to the federal body ap-
parently had been scrutinized and
compared with former reports and de-
ductions favorable to the mems de-
mands drawn where possible,
object to Federal Arbitration.
Objection by the enginemen to fed
eral arbitration was asserted to rest or
alleged refusal by the roads to govern
themselves by the recommendation ol
the board. They were recommends
tions and not court mandates, the men
declared, and the roads either disre-
garded them or placed their own in
terpretations on them in such man
ner as to nullify them. The managers
committee challenged Stone and Carter
to name an instance in which such q
thing had been done. When confer
ences between stone and Carter ani
the managers apparently had come tc
the point Of a strike the managers were
urgent that the federal board Of medi.
alton and conciliation should be ap-
pealed to. The mems committee sud.
denly acceded to this. stating that Il
would have bad appearance II the,
refused and asking only that the ses.
sions begin Immediately.
Accordingly, William L. Chambers
Chairman OF tho federal mediation
board. Assistant Commissioner q. w
w. Hanger and Federal Judge Martir
A. Knapp left Washington ate ont
prepared to begin sessions in Chicago
The conference began July -.