The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-07-15
UNDER NEWLANDS BILL
President Wilson's White
House Conference Is
Effective.
l.. s. ARBITRATION BOARD
Erdman Act to Be Amended
by Newlands Bill for
six ArbitratOrS.

WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE threat
ened strike OF 10O. 900 operatives on the
railroads east OF Chicago has been
averted.
This is assured az the result Of the
White House conference this after
noon attended by President Wilson.
| leaders of Congress and representa-
tives Of the railroads and Of the con-
ductors and trainmen. who voted to
| walk out.
At this meeting arrangements were
perfected for the passage by Congress
tomorrow Of the Newlands amend
ment to the Erdman act. under which
! both sides to the pending controversy
are willing to submit to arbitration.
Assurances were given at the confer
ence that this course would be fol-
lowed.
Under the Newlands bill a board Of
mediation will be created which shall
be entirely independent OF the Depart
ment. OF Labor.
Under the bill also the board Of ar
bitration to be chosen whenever media
ton and conciliation fail shall consist
Of six or three members. the latter being
the number authorized by the present
| law. In the case OF the pending con-
| troversy the railroads and their en-
ployees will elect to have the dispute
settled by an arbitration board Of six.
Two members Of this board are TO he
named BY the labor organizations inter
N ested. two by the railroads and two by
the four arbitrators thus chosen.
May Choose Two Others.
In the event, however. that the four
are unable to agree on the two remain
ing members, the board Of mediation Is
authorized to select these two. This
power gives to the board OF mediation
Its chief Importance.
Both sides had refused to arhitrate
under the Erdman law in its present
form, taking the ground that the pres
ent law does not provide for an ade-
uuate representation of employers and
employees.
The railroads objected chiefly 10 the
head OF the bureau Of labor statistics
In the Department Of Labor being on"
OF the mediators and on this point the
railroads had their way. although
representatives of the labor unions
showed no disposition to urge tins
point.
The chief argumen, in favor Of the
retention of the Commissioner of Labor
as one of the medators came from
,k.,i II In,
self the superior officer OF the labor
commissioner.
II is recognized that the new board Of
mcdiators will have the selection OF IN"
two members Of the board of arhitra-
ton after tho railroads and employees
have each named their two represc q =
tives. for the contending parties I'M
doubtedly will he unable to agree on
the remaining two members.
| President ia Designate.
This mediation board. under ~"
amendment tn he adopted tomorrow,
will consist Of a commissioner of med
iatiun to he appointed by the President
and tn head the board. and two Govern
ment officials who have been appointed
TO office nv the President with the ad-
vice and consent " the Senate.
Thes, GuNcrnmcnt ufiic als are ~ he
designated hy the President and the
legislation puts no limitation upon their
selection. save tha' they are tn be Of
ficials Of the United States Government,
The present Erdman law names the
United States Commissioner of Labor
and the presiding Judge of the United
States Commerce Court as the hoard of
mediation Under the amended hill the
presiding commissioner Of mediation Ia
to receive a salary Of $1,000 a year and
to serve seven years.
This means that President Wilson IN
order to meet the present emergency
will have 90 make quick selections. not
only OF the new commissioner of med
iation. but Of the two Government ofS'-
cials who shall serve with him on the
board.
The feature Of the present law maxi
ing possible a board of arbitration Of
three members II the parties To the con
troversy No elect was retained because
1t was believed this number was suf-
ficient to handle any trouble between
a single railroad and its employees. In
a controversy like the present. however
involving many railroads and thousands
Of men, both sides maintained that three
arbitrators were insufficient.
Under the law az il will be amended
either party to a controversy may cal
on the board of mediation or the hoard
itself may proffcr Its service on ita
own initiative.
The representatives Of the operatives
, and Of the railroads having already an
, nounced that they would submit the
claim for a wage increase to arbitra-
ton under this bill, the sole problem
. that confronted the President and his
conferees at the White House this at
ternoon was to procure the enactment
OF the Newlands hill In time tn prevent
the strike which the operatives last
week voted In favor Of. It was known