The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-07-31
GREAT RAILROAD STRIKE
IS SET FOR AUGUST 7
Continued From First Page.

parcntly had been scrutinized and
compared with former reports and de-
auctions favorable to the mems de-
mands drawn where possible. YEC
Objection by the enginemen TO fed
cral arbitration was asserted to rest
ern themselves by the recommends
tiOns of the board. They were recon-
mendations and not court mandates,
the men declared, and the roads either
disregarded them or placed their own
interpretations on them in such a man
ner as TO nullify them. The manag-
ers committee challenged Stone and
Carter to name an instance in which
such a thing had been done. When
conferences between Stone and Car
ter and the managers apparently had
come to the point of a strike the man
ayers were urgent that the federal
Board of Mediation and Cancellation
should be appealed to- The mems com
mittee suddenly acceded to this, stat
ing that it would have bad appear
ance If they refused and asking only
that the sessions begin Immediately.
Accordingly. William L. Chambers,
chairman of the federal mediation
board. assistant commissioner G.. w.
w. Harger and Federal Judge Martin
A. Knapp left Washington at once
prepared to begin session in Chicago.
The conference began July 81.
Statement of Mems Case.
The mems statement of their cast
as presented to the board is in part,
as follows:
added responsibilities and the in
c"a1sed cost OF living induced the en-"
yemen i'm the western territory 20
AXE certain requests of the manag-
ers OF their railroads These requests
carried moderate increases in pay ana
some improvements in working rules.
having for their object the standard
ization Of wages and working condi-
lions which were to be revisions ana
additions to the present schedule
In their printed statement of their
position the enginemen laid emphasis
on the increased traffic of the rail-
roads. declaring that more powerful
locomotives. larger freight cars ana
longer trains had vastly increased the
earning power OF the roads ana mad
added correspondingly to the RESPONSE
bilitie. OF the enginemcn with no cor
responding increase in their pay.
Reply of Managers Committee.
The MANAGERS committee replied
that railroad conditions at the present
time do not justify any increases IN
wages. The demands of the men, ac-
cording To the managers, center upon
| the substitution of an eight-hour daN
for a ten hour day in the computation
| OF overtime.
"The employees know" the managers
| statement asserts. that 1t would be
impractical To reduce the actual work
| ing day in train service to eight hours
To do so 1t would he necessary TO
| shorten practically all railway divis-
ions, To relocate yards and shops III
| fact TO reconstruct the railways AT
nrohibitive cost. The employees know
| the only effect Of changing the basis
of n days wage from 10 to hours
would be enormously to increase the
| overtime paid.
! In view of the present conditions
there could be no Justification TOT the
railroads i'm taking any step tha'
would add greatly to their expenses
The managers of railways have, no
moral right TO accede to requests or
employees that would unduly increase
the expense Of railway operation.