Evening star., 1912-09-13
DATE NOT YET F|XEDITO PREPARE BUDGET
Dispute Over Railway Wages Commissioners May Begin
Goes to Arbitration. Their Work Next Week.
MEDIAT0RS OUT OF CITY MUST PRUNE ESTIMATES
Question Awaits
Knapp and Commissioner Neil. Their Needs
SUBMITTED BY JOINT ACTION REVENUES TO INCREASE
Twelve Thousand
Other Trainmen Are Seeking 45o6oO-Debts
in Pay. Fast.
Dispute Over Railway Wages
Goes to Arbitration.
MEDIAToRs OUT OF CITY
Question Awaits Return of Judge
Knapp and Commissioner Neill.
SUBMITTED BY JOINT ACTION
Twelve Thousand Conductors and
Other Trainmen Are Seeking
Increase in Pay.

Just when Chief Justice Martin \.
Knapp Of the Commerce Court and Labor
Commissioner Charles L. Neill will un-.
der.ake to mediate, under the provisions
of the Erdman act of 1898. the wage dis
pute between the twelve railroads operat-
ing in the southeastern section of the
country and the 12.0tO trainmen and con-
ductors employed by them, In compliance
with an agreement made yesterday after
noon by both parties of the controversy,
has not yet been ascertained.
Representatives of the railroads and Of
the trainmen and conductors brought
their conference to close about D
o'clock yesterday afternoon by agreeing
to submit to mediation. A joint note for
mally requesting Justice Knapp and Com
missioner Neill to serve as mediators was
promptly dispatched to their respective
offices.
Commissioner Neill is in Norfolk. Va,
endeavoring to settle a similar wage dis
pute between the management and en-
ployes of the Norfolk and Western.
Chesapeake and Ohio and Virginia rail-
roads. Justice Knapp is away from the
city on his vacation and is not expected
to return for at least ten days. 1t Is not
known how long Commissioner Neill Will
be engaged in the Norfolk wage dispute.
Anxious for Early Decision.
Both the railroads and the representa-
tives Of the trainmen and conductors
are anxious that the mediators get to
work as soon as possible because Of the
Importance of the question In dispute. 1t
is not likely, however, that anything will
be done until Commissioner Neill COM
pletes his work in Norfolk. At the Com
$nta hot
while Justice Knapp had not banned to
return to this city for a week or more,
he is will ing to return Immediately when
Commissioner Neill announces he Is ready
to undertake the mediation of the railway
dispute here.
A. B. Garrettson, president of the Order
Of Railroad Conductors, who has led the
| fight in behalf Of the trainmen and con-
ductors, Is still in this city and probably
will remain here to arrange matters for
| the mediation proceedings.
Erdman Act Provisions.
The Erdman act, under which the me-
diation step was agreed to yesterday. pro-
vides for the creation Of a board Of two
| mediatOrs, who may, at the request OF
either or both parties to a labor dispute.
be called upon to act as mediatOrs be-
| tween the disputing parties.
| In the event that one side or the other,
| or both sides, refuses to accept the
| recommendation of the mediators, then
| the controversy reverts to the stage at
| which it was when mediation was agreed
| upon. The theory of mediation Is that
outside parties, unbiased and nonpartisan.
can probably suggest a way out OF the
difficulty which, il made by one side to
| the controversy, would be looked upon
| with suspicion by the other side.
When the mediators have made their
| recommendations their work is done, and
| 1T is left entirely to the contending par
| ties to accept or reject the propositions.
Experience shows. it is claimed, that in
| labor controversies where mediators have
been named a peaceful settlement OF the
| dispute has invariably followed.