Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-02
ENGINEERS AND
RAILROADS AGREE
Strike Averted by Submission of
Dispute to Board of Seven
Arbitrators.

New York. April 3o.-The threatened
strike of engineers Of the 80 railroads
east of Chicago was averted tonight by
he signing of an arbitration agreement
between the two committees representing
the railroads and the engineers.
The arbitration committee will consis,
Of seven members. one from the railroads.
one from the engineers and the other
five to be appointed by the two. If the
TWO fan to agree on the five umpires.
chief Justice White, Commissioner OF
Labor Neill and Judge Knapp will be
asked 10 make the appointments.
The settlement was brought about by
the efforts of Charles p Neil, United
States commissioner of labor and Judge
Martin y. Knapp of the United States
commerce court They first offered their
services as media tors April - in the diff
tcrences between the railroads and their
engineers over the question OF wages. An
increase of from 10 to Is per cent. was
asked by the men. The government Off
dispute together for "A settlement on def
arbitration.
Their efforts in this direction proved
successful tonight after lengthy con-
ference with both sides during the day
and evening The form which the ar
bitration takes represents a compro-
mise. The railroad officials originally
asked for an arbitral board OF - while
the engineers insisted upon three OF
ut the most not more than Ave. The
railroads then proposed board OF
seven members, of whom one was &c
be selected by each side, these two &c
choose the other five. In case they
failed to agree upon the other five ths
chief justice of the supreme Court OF
the United States was to he asked tc
appoint them
AGREEMENT A COMPROMISE.
The plan did not meet the approval
| of Chief Stone of the engineers who
proposed a board of five. the neutral
members In case of disagreement. &c
he appointed by the mediators. Under
to-nights final agreement, com
promise is reached by including both
the chief justice and the mediators as
selectors of the neutral arbitrators, II
| necessary.
The seven men provided for by thu
| arbitration agreement will take up all o.
| the technical details embraced in the de
mands of the engineers for wage increases
| and the fixing Of standard scale on tht
| half-hundred eastern railroads involved
| 1t is provided that ;he arbitrators c'
named within 10 days. The agreemen
provides in part that "a majority OF th'
members OF said board shall be competen
to make IA valid and binding decision Oh
award, and each of said parties hereby
pledges itself to accept and abide by TN
decision or award made, according 10 III
| terms and intent for the period or ont
year from Its effect and thereafter SUD
ject to the usual 30 days notice.
THE board shall fix the date when III
decision or award shall take effect ant
may make same retroactive il II seen
Just and proper,
| THE strike is settled" said Chief stone
after the conference. at saves the coun
try from bad situation and | am gla'
| that the controversy Is adjusted. not onl,
on account of the engineers hut because
| the arbitration prevents the public from
the annoyance that would have FOLLOWED
a strike"