The Sentinel=record., 1912-04-23
STRIKE IS
 POSTPONED
FEDERAL OFFICERS INTERVENE TO PREVENT ENGINEERS
 STRIKE IF POSSIBLE.
Decision Had Been Made to Call Strike Within 36 Hours When Proposition Came and Will
 Be Given Consideration.

New York, April 22.-The tender of the friendly offices" of the repre- sentatlves of the federal offices called at least temporary halt to- night to a strike of railroad en- gineers in all the territory east or Chicago and north of the Potomac river, in which it is estimated 52 per cent of the railway traffic of the country is handled.
 The meditation of federal officials came immediately after the managers of the 50 railways concerned refused to concede the engineers demands for an IS per cent increase in wages and after Chief Warren s. Stone. of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engln- eers had announced strike of en- gineers would go into effect within 36 hours.
 Knowing the situation had reached a critical stage, Martin A. Knapp. presiding justice of the United States commerce court, and Charles P. Neill, United States commissioner of labor, hurried here from Washington and as soon as the decisive break oc- cured they addressed a letter to both Chief Stone and to J. C. Stuart, chair man of the conference committee of railroad managers, declaring a grave situation had arisen and sense Of duty impelled them to tender their friendly offices to the contending parties in the hope that some means may be found to adjust the matters ] in dispute without the calamity of a general strike"
 Although Chief Stone had a few minutes before declared his 49 as sociates on the engineers committee would proceed tonight to their head quarters to prepare for strike with in 36 hours, he was impressed with the letter of Messrs. Knapp and Neill to the extent that he amended the order, declaring the committee would remain intact here tonight to con slider the situation. He said mo or ganization is so strong that 1t can fail to harken to an appeal from rep resentatiyes of the federal govern mapt ond dacfarad ha tuorId AIo oa the proposition before the engineers committee with the recommendation that it be accepted. For this pur- pose he immediately called the com mittee together for an executive ses- sion. At this meeting the committee voted to accept the offer of medita. tion made by Messrs. Knapp and Neill It was decided, however, not to make the formal announcement of this action until tomorrow.
 Chairman Stuart of the railroad committee received an identical let ter from Messrs. Knapp and Neill, but would not comment on what po- sition the railroads would take as to the tender of meditation He inn mediately ordered a meeting of the committee for tomorrow, however, to consider the proposal.
 In this manner the crisis rested to- night, still regarded by many observ- CTS as critical, but by others as promising some sort of adjournment. Commissioner Neill was pleased with the outlook for meditation, but did not outline in just what way he ex- pected to carry 1t out if both parties were conciliatory. His colleague, Justice Knapp, left for Washington this evening, with the intention, it is understood, of returning here tomor- row to take up the replies of the parties in controversy.
 The list of the affected roads in- cludes practically all but three of the railroads in the territory roughly de scribed as east of Chicago and north of the Potomac river. The three ex ceptions are the Central Railroad ol New Jersey and the Central Yer mont and Rutland railroads in Yer mont.
 The engineers demands for in creased pay were made January 22 upon all the railroads concerned anc a committee of general managers O the railroads was appointed to con fer in New York with Chief Ston, and a board of 50 officers of tho Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers At the first conferences in March the ] railroad committee announced thai