The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-03-15
NO STRIKE CALL
!. IN CAsiE Of WAR
PRESIDENT HAS ASSURANCE
FROM FOUR sRoTHsRHoops.
EFFECTS 100000 EMPLOYEES
Conference of Brotherhood Repre-
sentatives and Railroad Managers
to Be Held in New York Thurs
Y day in Effort to Agree.

day in Effort to Agree.
] Washington, March 13, President
Wilson was informed by the four big
railroad brotherhood leaders that in
case of war no national railroad strike
would be called.
/ In letter from them which reach
! ed the White House today, assurance
was given that railroad trainmen
would stand by the president in an
event of actual war.
| Some decision as to the strike of
100000 railroad employees in the
United States for the eight hour day
was expected to be Forthcoming
shortly, A secretly called meeting
of hundreds of delegates from the
Brotherhood OF the locals and the
four big leaders was begun today.
The letter stated that the brother
hood representatives would meet with
the railroad managers in New York
on Thursday in an effort to reach
some agreement.
The letter does not mention that a
strike order viii be issued in case
the Thursday conference fails. This
strike order it has been reported fixes
Saturday night as the time for start
ing the strike.
President Wilson, although i'll in
bed, is kept in close touch with the
situation through Secretary of Labor
Wilson, but has as yet taken no hand
in the matter. ....
Strike Due March IL.
Chicago, March l3.--Uniess the rail-
roads of the United States grant
basic eight-hour day with ten-hours
pay at the conference to be held
Thursday in New York with the four
brotherhood officials strike of en-
ployees on one group of railroads will
begin March IL Mt 5 a. M. Nothing
will prevent the strike, it is declared,
not even injuncti0ns. According to
the present plan only freight and yard
service men will be affected for the.
first five days.
Refuse to Confirm Report.
Washington, March 13.--Heads of
the railroad brotherhoods in Wash
ington refused to deny or confirm u
report, that strike order has been
issued, effective at p. m. March II.
II won't talk" said w. S. Carter,
chief of the firemen. Warren S.
Stone, head of the engineers, and W.
G. Lee of the fremen, were equally
uncOmmunicative.
They would neither deny nor con-
firm the truth Of the reported strike
edict.
President Stone of the Brotherhood
of Engineers, said:
II can neither affirm that q strike
order has been issued because can
not discuss the strike. l am in Wash
ingt0n on other matters and | don't
propose to talk about the railroad stu
alton. The brotherhood heads expect
to confer with the conference commit
tee Of railroad managers in New York
on Thursday. Until that time l will
have nothing to say"
The Supreme court concluded hand
ing down opinions without deciding
the constitutionality of the Adamson
eight-hour law.
The remaining brotherhood leaders,
Carter, Lee and Sheppard followed
the engineers chief in refusing to dis
cuss the possibility of strike. 1t was
understood, however, that the brother
hood chiefs had framed new proposals
for the settlement of their difficulties
with the railroads based on present
conditions which would be submitted
to the roads on Thursday.
Strike Is Predicted.
st. Louis, March 13.-That a nation
wide strike which viii tie up every
railroad in the country will be inau-
gufated at 6 y. m, Saturday, March II,
was the assertion of an official of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen in
East st. Louis. He asked that his name
be withheld. 4.,.. w
The strike will go into effect on the
Baltimore & Ohio and Big Four sys-
TENS on Saturday next. the official
said. The men on two more systems
will strike Monday and those on two
more systems will be tied up elch sue.
ceeding day. .