The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-15
INTERESTED ONES
AGREE ON MEASURE
FOR ARBITRATION
Bill to Be Rushed Through
Both Branches in Rec
ord Time
PRESIDENT WILL
SIGN 1T TONIGHT
Newlands Administration to the
Erdman Act Will Be Pass
ed Today According
to Plan

WASHINGTON, July IA. The
threatened strike of 1000 operatives
on the railroads east of Chicago has
been averted. This Is assured as the
result of the White House conference
this afternoon, attended by Pres
dent Wilson. leaders of congress, and
representatives. of the railroads, and
of the conductors and trainmen, who
had voted to walk out,
At this gathering arrangements
were perfected for the passage by
congress tomorrow of the Newlands
amendment to the Erdman act, under
which both sides to the pending con-
troversy are willing to submit to ar
bitration. Assurances were given ut
the conference that this course would
be followed.
Those at Conference.
Those who gathered at the White
House were:
Representing the government: Pres
ident Wilson, secretary of Labor VIII
son. Senator Kern. the majority leader
of the senate; Representative James
r. Mann. the minority leader of the
house; Martin Knapp, presiding judge
of the United States Commerce court.
Representative Clayton. the chair
man of the house judiciary commit
tee, and Senator Newlands, the au
thor Of the amendment to the Erd-
man act, which the contending par
ties have united in approving.
Representing the National Civic
Federation: President Seth Low, Sec
rotary Ralph NJ. Easley. and Marcus
NJ. Marks, chairman of the commit
tee on uniform arbitration.
Representing the railroads.: Presi-
dent Samuel Rea, of the Pennsylvania;
Vice President w. W. Atterbury. of
the Pennsylvania; President Daniel
Willard. of the Baltimore ana Ohio:
President W. c. Brown. of the New
York Central; ce-President A. H.
Smith. of the New York Central, and
President Frank Trumbull OF the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas.
Representing labor: President War
rem b. Stone, of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers; H. E. Wills.
legislative agent of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers, w. s. Car
ter. president of the Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Firemen; A. B. Garretson.
president of the Order of Railway
Conductors. and w. G. Lee, president
of the Brotherhood of Railroad Train
men.
Independent of Department.
Under the Newlands bill. to be rush.
ed through congress tomorrow.
board of mediation will be created.
which shall be entirely independent
of the department of labor. Under
the bill also the board of arbitration
to be chosen when efforts of media
ton and Cancellation fail shall consist
of six instead of three members as at
present. Two members of this board
are to be named by the labor organi-
cations interested. two by the rail-
roads, and two by four arbitrator,
thus chosen
In the event, however. that the four
are unable to agree on the two re-
naming members. the board of medi-
alton is authorized TO select these two.
The power of naming these two men,
hers gives to the board of mediation
it's chief importance. Both sides had
refused to arbitrate under the Erd-
man law in its present form. taking
the ground that the present law does
not provide for an adequate represent
tation ofemployers and employees. The
railroads objected chiefly to the head
of the bureau of labor statistics In the
department of labor being one of the
mediators, and on this point the rail-
roads had their way although repre-
sentatives of the labor unions Them
selves showed no disposition to urge
this point.
The chief argument in favor of the
retention of the commissioner Of la
Dor as one of the mediators came
Board VIII Select Two.
1t is recognized that the new board
of mediators will have the selection
OF the two members OF the board Of
arbitration for the contending parties
undoubtedly will be unable to agree
on the remaining two members.
This mediation board under the
amendment TO be adopted tomorrow,
will consist of commissioner OF
mediation. to be appointed by the pres-
ident. and to head the board and two
government officials who have been
appointed to office by the president
with the advice and consent Of the
senate. These government officials
are to be designated by the president,
and the legislation puts no Limitation
upon their selection. save that they
are to be officials of the United States
government. The present Erdman
law names the United States commits
sioner OF labor and the presiding
judge of the United States Commerce
court as the board of mediation. Under
the amended bill the presiding conn
missioner of mediation is to receive
a salary OF $500 year, and to serve
seven years.
This means that President Wilson,
in order to meet the present emer-
gency. will have to make quick Sc
missioner Of mediation. but of the
two government officials. who, shall
serve with him on the board.
Most Important Gathering.
The representatives OF the opera.
tives and of the railroads having 81.
ready announced that they could SUBJ
NIT their claim for wage Increase
to arbitration under this bill. -
sois problem that confrOutsd