The Sentinel=record., 1917-03-13
NJ CONFIRMATION STRIKE
 PLANS HAVE BEEN MADE
Meeting Of the Brotherhood and Rail. way Officials Is to Be Held in New York Thursday-Sentiment of Men Country Over Win Have to Be Sounded.

Washington, March 12- Talk of q
 railroad strike was general among
 local labor union officials from tho
 southeast gathered here tonight. hut national officials Of the four big broth erhoods declined 10 confirm or deny
 ohat definite strike plans actually were under consideration.
 The local leaders came fer a con. ference tomorrow preliminary to the meeting o brotherhood and railway otifoials to he held in New York
 thursday- Stmr ar sectional confer ences will be neid ;n ether cities. and the brotherhood heads insist that thev cannot foreca-t their course until the locals from all parts of the c6untr,, tiave reported the result of their de-
 There were distinct mdlcations
 however that there might he more truth in strike reports chan appeared on the surface An impression preva- lent among some Of the local officials was that general walkout would 'ollow quickly if the roads rebr.ed 10 accede 10 the union demands at Thursdays conference. Saturday was the day most consistently mentioned Us likely to see a climax of the long controversy between .he roads and their men.
 To all questions the brotherhood heads replied that there was nothing 10 be said as yet; as sentiment among the men the country over would have to be sounded ont beeore a general strike ccnld he ordered and that many locals still were to be heard from. Neither from them nor any other an- thoritive source could be gained any confirmation of the stories that def. inIte etrike plans had been made.
 It was pointed cut, however. that very little time would be required t0 put a strike order mo operation if q decision were reached to take that course. All of the machinery used to prepare for the big strike narrow. ly aveted last fal could be put into service quickly now if the need come. The present controversy, like that of which t is the outgrowth, reyolves around the eieMthour day. and more than one of the local leaders here to. night declared the brotherhoods had waited too long already, whie The supreme court deliberated on the con. ~ti.utionality of the shorter basis day. They argued that if he roads decline at Thursdays conference 10 put an eieht-honr day into effect forthwith. the unions would have ftl mstifica- tion for a strike
 The union men were unanimous in declaring that in case Cf a strike care would be exercised to embarrass the government as lite a. possible in the international crisis. The govern ment is watching developments close. ly, however and probably would itself take hand should deadlock seem assured. If strike appears 10 be ac- tual y threatened Pre- ident Wns-n fs expected to make some move for a settlement.
 About 200 brotherhood men from the roads east of the Mississippi and south of the Ohio are expected to at lend the meeting here tomorrow. Men from southwestern roads will meet in St. ouis tomorrow, those from east ern roads in New York Wednesday and those from Western lines in St Paul Wednesday. The central states representatives conferred at Cleveland Saturday.
 MT Lee head of the trainmen brotherhood, tonight said that the men had made no important changes in their demands presented to the rail roads last lal.
 Other brotherhood heads here to attend the conference were Warren s. stone Of the engineers, W. s. Car ter cf the flremen and L. E Sheppard of the conductors.