The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-24

200, 900 miles of track, paralyzing the
nations freight and passenger bust
ness, is the plan Of leaders of the four
great national railroad unions, should
demands to be presented to the rail-
roads after March 1 be refused.
Jan. 10 a referendum vote was sub
mitted to the $50, 900 to 100000 mem
bers of these four unions upon the
question of authorizing the officials to
present certain demands to railroad
owners. Information reached labor
leaders here yesterday that authorize
ton had been voted by an overwheIn-
ing majority, although the official
count will not be made until March l.
Want S-Hour Day or 100 Miles.
The labor union leaders will be en-
powered to ask for an eight-hour} day
or 100 miles instead of ten-hour day
or 100 miles, except in passenger ser
vice, with pay for overtime at one and
a half times the new higher pro rata
rate instead of the old pro rata rate
for overtime.
An official copy of the demand re-
ceived yesterday gives authorita-
tive outline Of the campaign. which the
labor leaders have prepared to en-
force. 1t is of course sbject to such
modification later developments
may necessitate, but at present the
essential points are these:
Upon completion of the count of
the referendum vote union leaders
will present the demands to every
steam railroad president in the
United States, allowing 30 days for
a definite reply.
Offers to arbitrate, if made, will
be rejected Immediately, as will
first offers of compromise, il made
If the railroads refuse to meet
the demands, as the union leaders
anticipate, they will ask authoriza-
ton of their mem bers, by vote to
declare a nation wide strike.
With this AUTHORIZATION negotia-
4 tons will be resumed directly with
railroad heads, and no general
strike will be declared until the
latter have been gfve-l full oppor-
tunity to Ndo' the right thing If
they fail to do this, as union lead
ers fully expect, general strike
will be declared.
First Nation wide Labor Movement.
The United States~for the first time
IN its history is facing a concerted la
Dor movement which is nationwide.
Heretofore the battle-ground between
labor and capital has never extended
beyond one section of the country
The enormousness of the interests in
VOWED is conveyed by the following
summary:
Capital securities directly affected
$40, PAT, 100000; numbers of men to be
called out in case of strike, $4,000 to
100000; mileage affected, 100000:
roads involved, every steam railroad
IN the United States: wages paid men
directly involved (1y14). nearly $780,
100000; wages paid railroad en-
ployes, all of whom would be direct
1y or indirectly affected (1914(, ST.
400, 100000; operating revenues of
railroads involved (1914), $3,O47O19,-
9os; proportion of gross railroad rev.
enues from freight and passenger car
rying paid employees As per cent:
proportion of total operating expenses
paid labor (1914), 60 2-3 per cent;
estimated increase granting of the
demands would make in operating
expenses of railroads (1914), $780,
313,159; number of stockholders af-
fected, 100000: overtime wage in
crease asked ESTIMATED by railroad
managers), 871z per cent; unions in
voIved. Brotherhood of Locomo-
tive Firemen and Enginemen Order
of Railway Conductors. and the Broth
erhooo1 of Railroad Ira nmen.
Carter Organized the Movement y
w. s. Carter, president of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive F'iremen
and Engineers, with a membership
exceeding 10000, is credited by labor
men and capital alike as being the
originator and>>chief organizer in this
nation wide movement. W. c. Lee,
president of the Brotherhood of Rail-
roaI Trafnmen, which has a member
ship of approximately 10000, is be-
lieved to be his chief lieutenant.
These two men are credited with
beginning their cam paign shortly af
ter the recent arbitration awards.
which satisfied neither the railroads
nor their employees. They do not ex-
pect, it is reliably reported, to wiring
from the railroads the total they have
demanded.
Labor men stated yesterday that
Garter and Lee> have preached the
doctrine that these following circun1-
certed action to gain material advan-
tages for railroad employees and will
prove the decisive factors in the fight
they are undertaking
1. That this is a Presidential cleo
ton year.
a. million labor votes will be powerful
enough to influence Congress and
President Wilson; the first sufficient
" to prevent unfavorable legislation
and perhaps the passage OF desired
legislation; the second, enough to pre-
vent Federal action in the event of a
strike, to throw Wilson influence in
favor-of the strikers or at least to
make him ttbe goodf'
Hope to Use Roosevelt.
g. That Theodore Roosevelt is a
member Of the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen. He
can be used either to force the Ad-
miristration to behave" or, should
wilson not yield to the Roosevelt and
other threats, the solid strike vote
would force the coloners nonninaJion
and election, insuring am Administra-
ton favorable to the strikers.
4. The general prosperity of the
railroads throughout the country, and
the tremendous business certain East
ern roads have, would be a powerful
iuf7rence in determining them. to
share profits rather than lose them
all.
5. That public opinion would be
with the employees in the case of a
national railroad strike, for the reason
that the general public would not toll