The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-21
Enginemen Threaten to Quit
Because of Surprise Tests.
ROW 1T cHIcle0 HEARIne
Remarks Of Members of Board
Cause Stir in Session.
Leaders in Wage Demands
Against Surprise Safety Plan.

Chicago, Dec 21.-Threat's that the en-
ginemen Of western railroads will strike
II the board of arbitration fails to reg
ulate surprise tests in a manner which
will eliminate danger to the men. were
sion.
The threats were made by Warren S.
Stone, grand chief engineer of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
and William s. Carter president of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen. They were occasioned
by remarks of w. L. Park, vice presi-
dent of the Illinois Central and F. A.
Burgess, of the engineers organization.
both members of the board. and James
M Sheean. attorney for the railways.
Park had read a long record devoted
mostly to quotations from a report of
the interstate commerce commission in
which he asserted that the efficiency
tests were based on the advice of the
commission and that much evidence
would have to be introduced to per-
suade him to interfere with the meth
DDS of discipline adopted by the roads to
assure the observance of safety rules.
burgess accused Park of arguing the
case, thus usurping the duties of coun-
sci and out of keeping with his position
as an arbitrator.
Sheean then stated that the railroad
managers had assured the officials of
the Brotherhoods that only such sur
prise tests as took into consideration
the safety of the men surprised would
be used. This brought Carter and
Stone to their feet.
II will inform the board that we
nave heard this assurance BEFORE
said Stone. I'm 1906, in 1907 and in
1910 we tried to get the roads to
eliminate dangerous efficiency tests
and each time we went back to the
men and told them that 1t was all
right, that the roads would conduct
only fair tests. and just as regularly
the roads did nothing Of the kind.
Now II the assurances of the railways
do not remove this danger to the lives
and limbs Of our men; If federal and
state laws do not, and if this arbitra-
ton fails to do SO, 1 can assure you
that the men will. 1 do not wish to
try to intimidate this board; I've got
too much sense for that-but the
strength of the men will be used if
necessary to protect themselves when
all else falls
Carter said: Safety first is a good
advertisement. but We want a system
dsaly W" confbnssa ens rea nea fud to
jump. wheE there is no real danger"
o. F. Modenbach. Rock Island fire
man OF FL Reno, who testified last Sat
urday that in January, 1909 he and his
engineer, named Thomson had jumped
from the cab of their locomotive when
red light turned as test, suddenly
confronted them in a snowstorm at
Dover, Ok, was on the stand again.
Sheean stated an exhaustive inquiry
failed to show any record of the acct
dent which witness said had resulted
in a broken collar bore for Thompson.
Reports, Sheean showed said, showed
that Thompson had worked that month
and accident and train records showed
no report of any such occurrence. Wit
ness chung to his story, except that he
seemed a little uncertain as to the ex-
act time of the accident and could not