The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-12
Conferences Seeking to Avert General Strike of $50, ,OOO Employees Come to Sudden Halt in New York Today When Brother hoods Turn Down Offer.
"Yard Stick" Method of Compensation Bitterly Opp posed Managers Meet to Prepare Answer to What They Consider to Be Ulti- matum of the Employees.

New York, June 12-The conference between the repre- sentatives of the railroads Of the United States and their 35O,OOO employees, called to avert a threatened general strike, came to a sudden halt shortly after resuming ses- sions here today when the rail- roads submitted counter proposition to the demands of the men.
 The workers have asked for an eight-hour day, time and a half for overtime, and the con- tinuation of the existing rules calling for double compensa- ton for different classes dur ing the same working day.
 The conference adjourned until later in the day when the railroads will make reply to what is considered the ultima tum of the men, declining to consider the railroads propo- sition described as the yard stick'' method of compensa- ton.
 The railroads answer to the men's demands was a tentative offer of conn promise granting the eight hour day and overtime, providing the double compensation rule is wiped out. In < other words, the railroads maintain that if the men declare a. Shortened work day they must put in the full time in whatever class of service they are assigned.
 Under Nthe existing rules an engih- eer son a hundred mile run-usuaI1y considered a days works granted overtime if within his working day he performs an hour of service. The result of today's conference was not unexpected. When sessions were ad- journed last week to give the rail- roads an opportunity to reply to the 110 questions of the men regarding their proposition, it was predicted by the Brotherhood leaders that the rail roads answer would cause the dis ruption of the conference.
 The break came following the read. Ing of \the outline of the yard stick, method by Elisha. Lee, chairman o1 the railroad managers and the con ference. Objections were irnme- diately made by the Brotherh oods leaders.
 Order of Railroad Conductors, voiced the sentiment of the men when he said in reply toNATr. Lee:
 "OuH proposftionlisn not modidable- it Is either it or nothing. Our spropo Eition's chief demand is the eight houl day. The overtime is simply a pen. elty to enforce it. Our answer is tha- If the yard stock is your united ofel there is no reason for the continuation of this conference"
 Timothy Shea, president of the fire men's organization, asserted that thu 'syard stick method, when put in op eration on western roads following thu agreement IS months ago, reduced tn, earning power of the men consider ably.
 "One engineer he said, ''had hi earnings reduced $65 per month anC his fireman $40 per month.''
 Chairman Lee declared he could no agree with the brotherhood. Tn overtime he said, instead of enforcinl the eight hour day would act as al Incentive to the men to iengthen thei Hays work He declared the attitud pf the men made it impossible to pro reed and he ordered an adjournmen until the afternoon. when he woul' announce, he said, whether the rail loads will continue with the conferenc pr not.