Evening star., 1917-03-14

what conclusion Is reached IN the New
York conference on Thursday" said
Timothy Shea. assistant president OF
the brotherhood OF Locomotive En-
rineers and Firemen and ranking Of
dcer of the union leaders assembled
here.
NO other statement can be made by
auy one in authority. We are mere pre-
1,ared to take whatever action those
ifnd.ngs will necessitate:'
The railroads especially the western
lines are unprepAred for general
strike: no strikebreakers are ready to
AXE the places OF the men who may
answer a call to quit should a majority
of the members Of the four brother
hoods walk out, accordihs 10 raiiFoao
.rWe are making no preparation what
soever," said C. II. Markham. president
.. the Illinois Central railroad. II DO not
care TO say why we arc not preparing. You
can draw your own conclusion.
II. r. Kurrie. president Of the Chicago.
Indianapolis and louisville tMonoH), said:
we have made no plans for strike at
his time We are not prepared as We
,yere last fail The extent TO which roads
viii be tied up IL there is to be a strike
will depend entirely on tie number o.
men who answer the strike call
Strike Order in Pittsburgh.
PITTSBURGH. Pa, March l4.--Mem-
hsrs Of the railroad brotherhoods in
,be pittsburgh district are said to have
yseeived the formal order to strike
March u, unless otherwise notified"
The circular, which also oficiaily in
structs them as 10 their conduct during
The strike is signed Committee: b. OF
l. F. r. Of L. F. .. r. c., b. OF X. L.
The circular consists of seven num-
bered paragraphs. the last reading as
your representatives have been un-
able TO effect a satisfactory settlement.
and a strike under the laws OF the re
spective organizations becomes Hf.
fectiye March Il. 1917. pm central
time. pm eastern :ime, unless other
wise notified
The first paragraph directs that NO
man in road service involved III the
strike will perform any service aTter
the hour set to strika unless he has
already begun a trip and has actuatiE
left the terminal. II the train has left
the terminal he will complete the trip
and deliver the engine and train at the
end of run or tie-up point, IT tied up
under the law. after which ne VIII per
form no further service until the close
of the strike. Men in other than ROAD
service Will leave the service at the ap-
pointed time SO far as your legal right
to strike is concerned. there is no nh-
ference between mail tram anu q
freight train. You have identically the
same right to refuse to perform serV-
ice on a mail train as you have TO re-
fuse to perform service on a freight
train.
No liberation of Violence.
All men on strike are ordered in the
circular to keep away from railroad
property except such men as are desig-
mated certain duties to be performed by
authority of the organization. Every
man should understand that the laws
of the land must he obeyed. Acts of
violence of any nature will not be
tolerated
other sections deal with the manner in
which the meetings of the strikers snail
be conducted.
Railroad officials. when they learned the
circulars had been received here. eN-
pressed little surprise. but refused TO
he quoted concerning preparations. If
any. they were making to prevent
tie-up of their lines.
Meeting Held in st. Paul.
ST PAUL. Mimi. March 1+.-Upon
their arrival here today, four vice presi-
dents of four brotherhoods of train service
employees. chairmen of the workers COM
mittees Of northwestern railways. were in
formed officially of the latest develop
ments of the situation arising out OF the
unions demand for an eieht-hour day.
General and division cnairmen OF tne
four brotherhoods representing engineers.
conductors, fremen and brakemen, met
today to discuss the situation and are
awaiting orders from hea adquarters in New
York.
Federal Control Proposed.
The committee of eight railroad presi-
dents. headed by Hale Holden. presi-
dent Of the Chicago. Burlington and
Quincy railroad. that conferred with
President Wilson at the White House
when the Adamson act was passed by
Congress. were in the city today keep
ing in close touch with the situation
a circular alleged to have been sent
10 the 100000 members of the brother
hoods from the Cleveland headquarters
IN the past week and signed by w. 8.
carter. president of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.
was made public today by the railroad
managers. 1t was headed Compulsory
Arbitration Bulletin. No. - and. in
part. said:
IF there is a sincere public dema nd
that the railway employees shall not
strike for the eight-hour day. then let
the federal government operate the
railways and assume responsibility for
the wages and working conditions of
the employees"