The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-27
Articles of Agreement to
Arbitrate Under New
lands Act Signed
MEDIATION BOARD
BRINGS AGREEMENT
Railroads Relinquish Important Claim
"TO Protect Public
Original Demands in
Articles

New York. July 26.-The threatened
strike of $4,000 conductors aud train
men of 10 eastern railroads for higher
wages and improved working condi-
tIons will not be called.
Articles of agreement to arbitrate,
under the Newlands act the questions
at issue were signed today by the EN-
ployes' representatives and the con-
ference committee of railroad mama
gers.
The agreement was not reached until
the managers had withdrawn the pro-
posal that their own grievances against
the men also should be arhitrated. This
claim, the managers announced today
they had relinqulshed to protect the
public" from tie-up which they said
the employees intended to force if the
railroads persisted in pressing their
point
Today's peaceful outcome of the dis
pute was the result of efforts made by
the board of mediation and conciliation
recently created in the hurriedly passed
Newlands act To meet the situation. The
board, consisting of Judge William Lea
Chambers Judge Martin a. Knapp and
G. W. w. Hanger. brought about to-
days agreement after conferences with
the disputants which continued more
than "a week.
Only Point Gained
With the elimination of the eight
grievances for which the railroads de-
sired consideration, the articles of arr
bitration comprise, without alteration.
the 16 original demands presented by
the conductors and trainmen The only
point gained by the railroads was the
provision that the award of the board
of arbitration to be constituted later Of
six members, shall take effect October
| next instead of May 1, last, the date
requested BY the employees.
The articles We're signed ON behalf
of the men By w. G. Lee. president of
the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen,
and A. 3. Garretson, president of the
! order of Railway Conductors. and for
the railroads by Elisha Lee. chairman
of the conference committee OF railroad
| managers.
The members of the mediation board
| returned tonight to Washington, where
they viii report to President Wilson.
/ The board will not again be called into
action unless the four arbitrator nom-
mated by the railroads and the men
| fail to agree on a ffth and sixth TO
complete the arbitration board. In that
contingency the mediation board will
select the two necessary members
Following Chairman Lees statement
today that the railrods waived their
claims against the men in ofaer to
protect the public" President Lee of
the trainmen presented to the media
tors a letter setting forth his views
concerning the employees demands that
the railroads grievances should not be
| arbitrated.
proposals were submitted to each
of the eastern railroads about Janu-
airy 6. 1913" President Lees letter read
| in part, and the roads authorized the
managers conference committee to
| reprecent them on those propositions.
and so far as we We're advised on moth
ing else. In all the negotiations up to
the enactment of the Newlands act
there was no suggestion by the man.
ayers that other matters would he in
troduced for sediment.
Movement for Change
Meantime a movement for a change
IN the Erdman act had been partici-
pated in by both parties. the amend
ing bill was prepared and introduced
in the Senate. There was hearing
ON II before joint committee of the
Senate and House, the railroads and
the organizations being represented
few days after the bill passed the Sem
ate and was pending in the House. a
conference was held with President
WILSON, at which the same interests
were more largely represented
Neither at the joint committee hear
ing nor at the White House conferences
was there any hint of the railroads
intention to bring up other questions
for arbitration. Not until July 16, the
day after passage of the Newlands bill,
was there any new grounds of dis
agreement introduced by the rail-
roads
There never has been time when
We had even the remotest idea that
the law governing arbitration was en-
acted for the benefit only of the EN-
ployes. on the contrary, we recog-
nize the right of the railroads to In
woke It's provisions al the proper time
and In the proper manner. but we will
not concede the employer a right to
sweep aside the prescribed method of
presenting grievances"