The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-31
The President Alone Can Pre-
vent q General Strike.
He Has Called ON Both Sides
to Meet Him.
MEDIATION HAS Been FAILURE
Parties to the Conference Leave
for Washington.
History of Trouble and List Of
Roads Involved.

Roads Involved.
Chicago, July 31.-Mediation in tho
controversy between the western rail-
roads and their engineers and firemen
has failed and President Wilson has
consented to use the authority Of the
United States in an endeavOr to bring
about an agreement which will pre-
vent the disastrous strike threatened
by the men.
President Wilson has arranged a
conference for Saturday morning in
Washington at which a subcommittee
of the enginemen and Of the managers
will present their contentious
Unless the president can bring about
some agreement, the belief is general
that strike will become effective on
ninety-eight western railroads Friday
of next week.
The eneinemen's committee will re-
main in Chicago until word is received
from Washington. II the president is
unable to bring about a peaceful set
tlement it is expected that the COM
mittee will disperse.
William L. Chambers and Judge
Martin A. Knapp, members OF the
government board of mediation. con-
ciliation and arbitration, left last
night for the capital. Several men,
bers Of the general managers COM
mittee also started for Washington.
They will advise the president prepa-
lowing day. G. w. w. Hanger. third
member Of the board, remained in
Chicago for possible developments
though none is expected.
Mr.. Hanger asserted that after the
board had met separately with the
employees and employers for three
days the futility OF a settlement by
mediation was realized.
The commissioners continued to
meet with the committees seven days
more in the hope of finding some
grounds on which the men would
agree 70 arbitration. Hope. he said.
was abandoned and the mediatofs mo-
titled President Wilson of the situa-
ton. He Immediately invited the two
factions to Washington to meet with
him. II the president cannot per-
! suade the employees to arbitrate-the
railroads appealed to the federal
tboard-a strike called today noon will
be In force Friday next.
History Of the Dispute.
The wage dispute between the engine
men of the western railroads and their
employers 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 October TO- 1913, and negotia-
tions had been going on about three
| months. Two Jays later, however, both
sides agreed upon federal arbitration,
although the enginemen previously had
refused peremptorily to consider it on
! ho hA do hoA
| to be governed by former arbitration
! court decisions. Matters with the men
had proceeded to the taking of a strike
vote the. result Of which. announced
July II. showed that the men were al
most unanimously in favor of backing
their demands by a general wa1k-out.
! Basing their demand on the increased
cost of living. the men called for in
creases in ray and overtime allowances.
which. they said. would just about
cover the advance in the price of neces-
sites in the past four years. In an
swer the roads declared the increases
asked for would amount to $33, ,0OO, 900
a year. or fifty per cent advance in
wages and could not be granted.
| Ninety-eiGht railroads were affected BY
the demands. They included virtually
every line In the United States west OF
Chicago and also the Illinois Central
road. In Canada every line west OF
1
except the Grand Trunk Pacific. One
hundred and forty thousand miles OF
roadway and 5000 engineers, firemer
and hostlers drawing $67, ,750.0 900 annual
! wages were affected.
] The mems committee was headed by
Warren s. Stone. grand chief of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
and W. 8. Carter, president of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive F,iremer
and Engincmen. A. w. Trenholm, gen.
eral manager of the Chicago. ST. Paul
Minneapolis and Omaha Railway, wal
chairman OF the managers committee
Increase in 1910.
The last general movement by thu
enginemen for an increase in wages wal
in 1910, at which time they obtained an
Z increase OF about 10 per cent. Sincs
then, they declare, the roads have
facilities. Preparation Of the mem
4 case indicated their close observation
i Of the proceedings of the Interstate
Commerce Commission. Every repor
Of the roads to the federal body ap
parently had been scrutlnized and com
pared with former reports and deduc
tions favorable to the mems demand
drawn where possible.
Objection by the enginemen to fed
eral arbitration was asserted to rest Ol
alleged refusal by tho roads to gover1
themselves by the recommendations o
the board They were recommends
tions and not court mandates, the mel
! declared, and the roads either disre
garded them or placed their own inter
pretations on them in such q manne
a. to nullify them. The managers' com
mitsee challenged Stone and Carte
! to name an instance in which such