Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-08-31
C. " MAY keep OUT or IT
High Official Says Men Haven't
Voted for a Strike.
Declares Also President T.. e. Smith
Has Not Acted with railroad Pres
idents' Ass'n-What Union and
Rutland officials Say.

The Central Vermont railway, In tho !
event of strike. will treat with it's |
men independently. so n high official OF !
the road said last night President Ed !
ward c. Smith has notified the Associa- |
ton of Railroad Presidents that he will
not act in concert with them. In so
doing he has not been alone Several
presidents of the smaller railroads, East /
and West have done the same
The mon themselves, this same official
said, have not voted with their fellows
of the Big Four brotherhoods to go on
strike. Like thousands of employees of
the Pennsylvania and one or two other
smaller systems, they have taken no
positive action so far as known, they
have signed no petitions against n strike,
but have kept out of II so far as possible.
There are at present about 100 con.
ductors. 200 brakemen, including train
mon. 100 fremen, 100 engineers and 50
yard men of the Central Vermont who
would be affected in case they Joined in
a general countrywide strike. The Cen
trail Vermont Is short handed at present,
or these numbers might be considerably
AUGMENTED
The relations which exist between the
railroad officials and the men at the
present time we consider very friendly"
said the official in question The men
have never struck. he added. and they
are receiving standard pay, the same
wages as prevail on the big railroads.
The Central Vermont. said this official
further. is in n peculiar position because
of its affiliated ownership with the Grand
Trunk The latter. along with the Cana
dian Pacific and the other Canadian
roads, arc in little dancer of strike
until after the war although they belong
to the International Brotherhoods The
latter network the whole continent and
ordinarily Canada would be as mu'h in
volved as the United States in case OF n
general strike The Canadian members
of the four brotherhoods. however, the
G. V. official declares, have as much as
promised not 10 strike while the great
war is in progress Simply from patriotic
! motives and from a rea.;3ation OF the
| extent to which III. mother country de-
| ponds upon Canada for supplies. the
men have said they would remain loyal.
| 1t is the law of all four organizations
I to act In concert when necessary, how
| ever and 1t is understood no official
| action by the Canadian lodges has been
| taken.
Neither railroad here has communicated
with the men or the unions in any way.
The example of various other roads, OF
sending out letter asking employees -
remain loyal, has not been followed by
either the Central Vermont or the Rut-
land A high Rutland official said the
a =
high as were given almost any where
| in tho country and the men had always
| seemed content
Rutland. in the event Of strike on
the Rutland. would be affected more
! than Burlington. An officer Of kill,ngton
| Lodge, No e97. of the brotherhood of
Railway Tranmen in Rutland said the
four lodges one in each branch Of the
service, would act together if strike
We're called.
The Central Vermont has already
taken measures To protect itself in case
| Of strike. Just what these measures
are. and whether a precision for men
to take the places or the strikers was
one Of the means the official talked with
refused to say.
A conductor of tine Rutland road said
| frankly he didn't believe there would %
either n general countrywide strike oil
a strike on the Rutland road. IT there
were strike, one OF the creates
difficulties IN his opinion, that the rail
roads would experience would he II
complying with various statute re
quring trainmcn and iremen To I've ex
perienCed men before being advanced
TO conductors and engineers.
A report in town to the effect tina
the employees OF the Central Vernon
are not affiliated with the Big Four il
untrue. The report said that tho loca
lodges split off several years ago. Tn
LODGES Of both railroads are aff;lat ed
hut there is no cast-iron rule seains
their refusing to abide by a general strik
order 90 the leaders in the Fig Four
Colonel J. T Dickmar. who is in corr
mdnd of the regulars A. Fort Etha'
Allen. said yesterday he had received n
order as yet regarding strike dut". An
other officer at the post said the regular
were always ready for action ut fey
hours notice and no order would he like
~ TO come in except at the last minute
One of the privates said there was tall
Of the mon going next Monday