The Washington times., 1916-01-29
DATA GATHERED BY
528 RAILROADS TO
A STRIKE
Elaborate Preparations Under
Way to Resist Higher Wage
Demands in Spring.

NEW YORK. Jan. 2s.-Railroads OF
the United states will not yield 20
the demands for higher wages which,
IL is conceded. Will be made in the
spring by the chiefs Of the four big
railway labor unions. Officials of the
62e railroads in the country are re-
ported on reliable authority to be de-
terTnined to stand together in their
rejection Of the demands.
The Eastern managers are con-
vinced that the referendum vote Will
authorize the union leaders TO take
full charge OF the situation. and as 1t
now seems certain that proposals for
arbitration will be spurned by the la
Dor heads, both sides are getting
ready for the inevitable.
There Is every indication that the
railroads are making most thorough
and elaborate preparations. Nothing
would suit the railroads better than
to be done that will bring this about.
On the other hand, the railway
workers are steadfhstly set against
arbitration. Their leaderg have
constantly. with this knowledge In
possession of the railroad managers,
everything pointed yesterday to grave
developments.
Roads Begin Preparedness.
How thoroughly the railroads are set
ting about their campaign Of prepared
mes Is made all the more significant by
the fact that this is tho first time any
notice has been paid by them to pre-
dicted demands OF labor organizations.
This Is what the railroads are doing:
A statistical bureau IL being organized
to supply the interstate Cnmmerce
Commission with al available data,
such as revenues. wages; nours Oh ar sesE
| ice. conditions Of service. ana over
time payments. -, -.
valuable should the dispute be submitted
| to arbitration. The railroads are pro
eeding on tho theory that their work.
ers will accept arbitration.
An extensive advertising campaien .
to be waGed IN the newspapers ana
magazines of the country IN an en-;
bdeavor 20 arouse sentiment that will
force arbitration. 49,,
In this advertising campaign 1t will
lie So n in conr ,ne'nE words a81 an
| I $lies the Rreat calamity that will be-
| fail city Ii "a Esw YcrN u t';e rH J.
| 10. ~ h;.ve to stop running trains IN
.:eut rt a gene:9l strike.
| stat stics will be -con'rlIcd to Tet"tc
the tattmSnts q the workers that they
are not receiving adeIuste WAGES.
Details Are Closely Guarded.
| a
ers are made the railroads will present
their side in tabular statistical form,
showing former increases in wages and
general benefits the workers have en-
1oyed year after year, or as often as
they have asked for better hours or
more wages.
These details are being guarded close
ly at the present time ana VIII be
ed in Chicago about March 1. After the
demands are presented tie railroads
will have thirty days in ich TO re-
tion" the publicity campaign will be let
Managers of the hfty-two Eastern
roads have employed Frank Fayant as
been opened in the Grand Central Ter
| minai.
Operating officials of the railroads,
1t is said. WIN make no attempt to
! present plan of the chiefs of the four
/ big railway herhoods-engineerB
| firemen, conductors, and trainmen---
| is to disregard any suggestion OF ar
| bitration and eau a strike the mo-
ment the railroads refuse their de-
! manjs. 1t is not believed any notice
| of a strike will be given to the rail-
! roads.
The railroads have not carried out
previous arbitration awards" a rail-
| way labor leader said. Then why
arbitrate now? Wen go ahead and
| fight them"
in should trains stop running was
| forecast yesterday. A railroad Ofh-
| cial said the city would suffer a fam
inc in one week. The milk supply
the supply of perishable stuff would
be cut off completely. Everything
| that New York city needs for daily
consumption, IT was pointed out. has
to be brought into the city in daily
Railroad officials als0 are keeping
| close watch on developments in both
anthracite and bituminous coal re-
! gions.
Credence has been given to the 80
port that the miners labor leaders arc
| conferring secretly with the railway
union heads for concerted action in
the spring. A Joint strike of hard and
soft coal Riners would paralyEe VA
rious industries. 1t was said.
Effect Still Remembered.
The last big strike of anthracite and
bituminous miners was in 1887. and the
erect Of that strike has not been for
gotten. The anthracite strike in the
winter OF 1sOS-1sOa sent up coal to $50
What the effect will be Of a COM
bined strike of railroad employees and
anthracite and bituminous coal miners
cannot be estimated, railroad men as
sert.
Managers of the Eastern railroads
have discontinued their sessions in this
city. 1t Is not known when they VIII
confer again. Following the report that
a national committee of railway man
ayers will be formed soon, with Elisha
Lee, superintendent Of the Philadelphia,
Baltimore, and Washington railroad. as
chairman, came news yesterday that
the presidents of the country's rail-
roads also will form an association,
Details of these plans are being guard