Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-25
POSSIBILITY OF
STRIKE LOOMING
Government Mediation in En-
ginemen's Troubles May
Be Failure.
UNIONS ATTITUDE CHANGED
Arbitration Declined on Ground That
Companies Have Not in Past
Abided by Results.

Chicago, July 25.-Mediation by the
government between the SO western
railroads and their engineers and fire
men reached crucial stage Friday,
according to Martin A Knapp, mem
Der of the federal board of mediation
and Cancellation. Judge Knapp stated,
however, that members of the board
were still in hopes of reaching set
Element.
1t was currently rumored that an
announcement one way or the other
that the men had agreed to submit
to arbitration or that the roads had
determined upon new concessions they
are willing to make to the demands of
the men.
A statement attributed to the en-
ployes a week ago, when it was an
nounced that the United States offer
of mediation had been accepted, was
that unless the road offered some new
concession within the week the men
would be inclined to terminate the
mediation and strike.
Change Attitude.
A peculiar feature of the threatened
strike of engineers, firemen and hos
tiers on the western railroads is, that
while the unions representing these
employees have gone on record as IA
voring arbitration in past negotiations,
they now positively refuse to submit
the present dispute to an arbitration
board for a decision.
This marked change in the attitude
of the railroad brotherhoods toward
arbitration is attributed by the Off
Gals of these organizations to what
they assert is a disposition on the
part of certain railroad officials to not
fairly apply arbitration awards when
made.
w. S. Stone, grand chief of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
says:
1.-The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers in the past has favored ar
bitration for the settlement of all
disputes between labor and capital,
and. in fact, has been instrumental in
assisting to have several laws en-
acted upon this subject. However,
with our experience of the past few
years, we have changed our views, and
unless some plan can be devised
whereby members of TIE Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers can be as
sured that the award will be put into
effect as handed down by the board
of arbitration, there will be no further
arbitration, so far as we are concern
ed This has been brought about by
the sad experience of the past three
cases.
Claims Companies Unfair.
'In 1910, we had a wage movement
of SO railroads in the western terri
tory A settlement was reached
through mediation, Charles p. Neill.
commissioner, being the one to bring
about the agreement, which has never
been carried out in good faith by the
railroads in the west; and the present
wage movement in the west is due
partially TO the fact that the men were
deprived of what they were rightfully
entitled TO by the award of 1910.
I'm 1912, we had an arbitration in
the eastern territory comprising all
roads east OF Chicago and north of the
Ohio river. This award was handed
down in November. 1912, and at this
time. after almost two years have
elapsed. and the term of the arDitra-
ton award has expired. we are still
put II into effect and pay their back
pay that the men are entitled to I'M
der the terms of the award"