Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-08-02
WILL CONFER
TO AVERT
STRIKE
Board Of Big Four Broth
erhoods Agrees to Further
Meetings With Railway Men
Before Ordering Walkout

washington, Auk, 1,--~fhe exocu-
tive board OF the big four" brother
hoods. which are threatening q
nationwide strike OF 400. 900 rail-
road employees. and the general con-
ference committee OF the roads. have
agreed to a resumption OF conferences
10 begin In New York August s. ac-
cording to Information received at
the United States board OF media
tlon and conciliation today.
New York. Aug. 2.--Counting OF
the strike vote OF the 400 900 railway
trainmen which may preeipitate the
greatest labor war the United States
ever has known viii he completed
August Z, Timothy ID. Shea. who has
charge OF the count. announced to-
day.
The railroads affected by the count
today opened campaign Of education
Of the public, through newspaper ad-
vertisements putting forward their
side OF the controversy.
The strike vote. II II results as all
predictions indicate. will authorize
the heads OF the four great railroad
brotherhoods to call general strike
n. In their opinion, a strike Is neces-
sary to gain for freight and yard men
their demand for an elght-hour day
and time and a half for overtime.
This In the biggest labor move
ment In history" Shea said today.
1T 10 the largest In number OF men
involved and covers a wider latitude
OF territory than any other labor
movement In history"
Charging that the railroads pro-
posed settlement OF the strike con-
troversy, either under the existlng ma
tional arbitration law or by refer
ence to the Interstate commerce COM
mission, and that the offer was re-
fused by the employees. the national
conference committee OF the railways
started today an advertising cam
paIgn In support OF their position
Copies OF advertisements to be used
In various sections Of the country
were sent out by the committee The
advertisement. addressed TO the
public. Is headed; "Railroad Wages
Shall They BE Determined by Indus
trial Warfare or Federal Inquiry"
"The railroads are In the public
service SERVICE" reads the adj
vertisement copy, THE army OF EN-.
ployes Is In the public service---your
service You pay for rail transporta-
tion three billion dollars year and
"a cents out Of every dollar from YOU
goes to the employees,
"a 800, 900, ,00 00-dollar wage in
crease for men In the freight and
yayd service (less than one-fifth OF
the employes) is equal to Ave per
cent advance in all freight rates.
"The managers Of the railroads are
trustees OF the public and have no
right to place this burden on the cost
OF transportation to You without a
clear mandate from the public tri-
bunal speaking for YOU"
Washington. Aug 2,--More than
400 900 men, earning annually $a00,-
900 900, employed on 100000 miles
Of railroad. these are the figures In
volved In the threatened strike OF the
railway brotherhoods. A strike would
mean, according to the Bureau OF
Railway Economics today. the great
eat transportation tie-up In the his
tory of the country, with accompany
Ing prostratIon OF commerce that may
send the financial loss to the nation
soaring into ethe billions OF dollars,
Advance reports reaching Wash
ington indicate the employees will vote
coatlnued on page %