The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1916-06-30
q srRlKE VOTE.

situation quite az critical rs Is tha'
with regard to Mexico. and, IN It's pos
sibic effect upon the nation, infinitely
more dangerous. This Is the contro-
Nersy between tbs American railways
and the men who run the trains over
the so.cailed eisht-hour day demands
~ the men, AZ made by the leader,
of their unions. The railway compah-
leg have refused to grant the eight
hour day demand. upon the ground
that Il Is In reality u demand for wage
Increases totaliing tl0o. oo0,c a
year. and tina, they cannot grant such
spending increase IN their revenues.
through Increased freight rates. They
have no power to increase freigh.
rates. aad for this reason the coinpah-
les proposed TO the men submission
Of IN. whole question 81 issue to thc
intersta,. commission. az
the body a, once mos, familiar with
wages paid 10 train operatives and
railroad freight rates. ana therefore
beA0ted to arbi,rate the existing dif-
ferenCes.
The railroad br~otherhoods, engi-
ncers. fircmen. conductors and brake
men. through their leaders. have re-
fused the proffered arbitration aud a
referendum vote has been ordered
upon the question. in effect shall q
strike be put into effect"
Actual voting by members ~ the
four brotherhoois began yesterday.
II Is anticipated that taking OF the
Vote viii require our to i've weeks.
should the majority of tie members
Of the four br~otherhoods vote IN favor
Of q trike and should a strike actual
IS be pat into effect. there viii occur
an Industrial tic-up IN this country
the devastating effects of which vii.
cas-, into comparative insignificance
the necessity We face Of restoring
order ia Mexico.
Comparatively few people under
stand iully how grave and hoN crit
zeal this siAlatlon really is II Is pos
sibic t. bring Il home. perhaps. by an
inquiry into the situation H. A~louquer-
uuc. which may be called a typical
railroad town. one OF several hun
dred IN the United States in each of
which the situation Is much the sam ,
In certain effects Of a uc-up Of the
railroads Of the nation
The employees Of the santa Re rail
road IN A~louuuerql. number abou.
1890 men. OF these $50 are in the
shops. $50 are IN the local round
house, 80 are in the store lie 7artment:
~ IN tho tie treating plnnt. ~ are
station and yard employee. THERE
ARE 80 ENGIN EERs. rs SWITCH
MEN ASD SO TRAINMEN conduct
ors and brakemcn) who are residents
cf Albuquerque. who make their iiv-
ing and who spend their r N
this city for their own and their fam
lilies maintenance.
81 the above total OF !is6. but rs
are members of the four brother
hoods concerned in the elsht-hour de-
inands with their pending possibilities
Of strike u complete tie.up ~ the
ioilroad-. From his rs must be de
Quoted all train and enginemen IN the
passenger service. who are not IN.
VOWED In the pending demands. These
latter number about 90 90 the l,iss
employees resident and conducting IN.
work Of the railroad here then. only
IS arc actu1lly concerned m the so
called cight-hour demand fraction
over - per cont
what have these 80 men 10 con-
slider ~ casting their votes ON the
sttlt' proposition, taking them "a
typical and their number as typicslls
proportionate for the railroad towns
81 N, country
Have they To- consider only the d.,
rect effects upon themselves in IN
creased vogos-if they should win q
uation-wr'Cklng strike ur the d.rotu
cn.c, upon their positions then
chances 81 promotion Their families
II they loo. m such u strike
or hay. thes. mon some dut, 81
regard for The Interests. the welfare
the livelihood - the other 50 pc'
rem, % railroad workers Who have ~,