The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-01-20
PLAN NATIONAL
RAIL WAY STRIKE.
Membership Of Big Brother
hoods Voting on Proposal.
WOULD PARALYzE NATION

Labor Organizations involved Number
More Than 100000 Men-Universal
Eight Hour Day and Increase Of
Wages Objects of Movement = De-
mand Likely to Be Made Next May.
The 45S railroads of the United
States were brought face to face with
the eight hour day when executive
committees of the four great railroad
labor organizations which had been sit
ting in joint session at Chicago for
two weeks. formulated demands for
cut to eight hours from the prevailing
ten hour day. Time and half for
overtime also will be asked
Resolutions embodying the demands
were mailed to every member of the
four brotherhoods on the first of the
year for referendum vote. The men,
bership will have sixty days i'll which
to return the ballots.
If the demands be approved, and
chiefs Of the several associations say
there is no question as to their ap-
prevail, the executive committees viii
draw up the demands for submission
to the general managers Of the rail
roads.
The last of the contracts of the engi-
neers and firemen and those Of the
western railroads expire May IL next,
and that is the date mentioned as the
probable time for presenting the de-
mandS.
The membership of the organizations
involved numbers more than 100000
men. These organizations are back of
the campaign for the universal eight
hour day. Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and Engineers, Order Of Rail-
road Conductors and Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen. The move is an
outgrowth of agitation that has been
sweeping over the country for year
and is said to be the greatest labor dis
pute ever advanced in any occupation.
In the general campaign to bring
about the eight hour day action was
taken separately by the three divisions
the eastern, southern and western.
A joint conference was then held, and
the imaginary sectional lines of the
employees were wiped out. 1t is pro-
posed that one settlement be made at
the same time between the railroads
AMI all employees in the transportation
service.
The movement toward this amalga
nation of the eastern. southern and
western division of the employees and
the resultant demands to be voted on
by the membership follow recent arbi
tration awards in the eastern and west
ern railroad sections.
1t was broadly limited when the west
ern decision giving the engineers and
fremen only small portion of the
wage increase asked was announced
May /, 1915, that the railroad men
would renew their demands in force
when the terms of the award expired,
May /, 1916
LIS tlIuc uOH luluh LucIc VIII
be any arbitration" said Timothy Shea,
assistant to the president of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Firemen "Of
course / am not qualified to speak au-
thoritatively, but | have had chance
to observe the temper of the men, and
it is my belief that they have had
enough of so called mediation.
1.-THE principle of arbitration is excel
lent, but it has been abused. Where
the men submitted it has not been pro-
ductive of the justice for which it was
designed.
"As for our intentions in the present
case, do not think there is anything
secret about them. We are going to
demand fatty an eight hour day and
time and a half for overtime. Failing
to obtain that, we will walk out and
let the discussions come afterward
Every railroad In the United States is
affected"
Mr.. Shea was member of the board
of arbitration which heard the claims
of the employees of the western rail
roads in Chicago last spring. He and
#. A. Burgess. assistant grand chief o.
the Brotherhood Of Engineers, signed {
minority report after the men had fail
ed to GUST Charles Nagel, former secre
tary of commerce and labor undel
President Taft, from the board.