Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-07-31
stat.msnt Of Employer.

Ine men statement OIL tHelI case aS
presented to the board Is in part. as
follows:
added RESPONSIBILITIES and the in
creased cost of living induced the en-
ginemen in their western territory to
make certain requests of the managers
of their railroads. These requests car
ried moderate increases in pay and
some Improvements in working rules,
having for their object the standardiz-
alton Of wages and working conditions
which were to be revisions and addi-
tions to the present schedule.
In their printed statement of their
position the eoginemen laid emphasis
on the increased traffic of the railroads
declaring that more powerful iocomo-
tives, larger freight cars and longer
trains had vastly increased the earn
ing power of the roads and had added
correspondingly to the responsibilities
of the enginemen with no correspond
ing increase in their pay.
Reply Of Road Managers.
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 day
for ten hour day in the computation
of overtime
1.-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 be necessary to
shorten practically ali railway divi-
sions, to relocate yards and shops. in
fact to reconstruct the railways a.
prohibitive cost. The employees know
the only effect Of changing the basis OF
days wage from ten to eight hours
would be enormously to increase the
overtime paid.
in view of the presen. conditions
there could be no justifications for the
railroads in taking any step that
would add greatly to their expenses.
The managers of railways have no
moral right te~accede toy requests OF
employees that would undnly increase
the expense of railwaE operation"
Place Blame on Managers.
In signed statement Presidents
Stone and Carter asserted that after
the managers committee lad invoked
the services of the federal board OF
mediation and consultation the man
ayers committee had refused to accept
the plan of settlement proposed by the
federal mediators, and thus the bur-
den of responsibility of me strike must
rest on the railroads"
The three principal causes of the
strike. according to the statement of
Messrs. Stone and Garter. are:
.. The manner in which railroads
have repudiated arbitration agree
ments.
"The manner in which the managers
committee has excited the anger of
the enginemen in the service by their
arbitrary attitude.
Because the railroads seem deter
mined to force the employees to aban-
don the mileage basis Of pay without
being willing to adopt the hourly basis
Of pay; the managers attempting to
force on the employe an entirely new
basis of pay, which they are pleased
to term the service period
Plan Of Settlement.
The plan of settlement, as proposed
by the federal mediators, and which
was rejected by the general managers
committee. according to Messrs. Stone
and Carter, follows:
"The schedule in effect prior to Oct
10, 1913, with the amendments thereto
and accepted rulings thereon. to be re-
stored and con ninued until changed by
arbitration.
THE demands of the two organiza
tions are set forth in their communi-
cation of that date to the conference
committee of managers, and no Other
question or questions to be submitted
to arbitrat tion under and in accordance
with the act of congress Of July Is
/, 1913 commonly known as the New
/ lands law"