The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-15
NO STRIKE WILL
BE DECLARED
Bill Amending Erdman Act
to Be Made a Law
Tonight

Washington, July l5.-Representa.
tives of the $4,000 conductors and train
men of the eastern railways who have
voted to strike for higher wages, and
the managing officers of the railroads
agreed at the White House yesterday to
submit their differences to arbitration
under the provisions OF the Newlands-
! Clayton act, which President Wilson and
the congressional leaders promised to
make law by tonight.
In the meantime, no strike will be de-
clared, officials of the brotherhoods
agreeing to an armistice until Wednes-
day night.
The victory for arbitration over a
strike was the result of a two-hour con-
ference at the White House, in which an
agreement was made to have passed at
once a substitute for the Erdman act,
charging the arbitration board provided
under that act and securing permanent
commission to deal with railroad dis
putes.
The conference began at the White
House, with President Wilson as the
chief figure in the critical situation.
As the conference was getting under
way, word was received from New York
that the railroads We're willing to arbi-
trate under the Newlands amendments
to the Erdman act. A. B. Garretson and
w G.. Lee, heads of the conductors and
railway trainmen. respectively, who ar
rived here early for the conference. de-
clared that the unions were willing to
meet the railways in an effort to settle
all differences by means of arbitration
L. lie lm
The announcement of the railway man
ayers, they said was complete re-
versal OF their previous declaration not
TO arbitrate.
All that remained to be done now, it
was said, would be to have the Newlands
bill passed in the House.
There is grave concern felt in Con-
gress and in administration circles over
the issue, but the general feeling is that
strike will be avoided. This is partly
based on the fact that crises of about the
same sort which have arisen lately have
been bridged over and partly on the fact
that speedy adjustment of the differ
enees between the House and Senate
over the amendment of the Erdman act
is expected.
One of the obstacles in the way of an
adjustment has been Secretary of Labor
Wilson, who has insisted on the board of
arbitration provided for under the
amended act having connection with the
department OF labor. However, it is
pretty well understood here that Secre-
tary Wilson is not going to insist on
this to the point of blocking legislation,
This explains why it is Secretary Wilson
for several days past has taken an opti-
mistie attitude with respect to the
threatened strike and may partly ae-
count for the general feeling here that
the skies will clear rapidly.
At the conference there were Presi
dent Wilson, Secretary Wilsin, Chairman
Newlands of the Senate interstate com
merce committee, Chairman Clayton of
the House judiciary committee, Republi-
can Leader Mann, w. S. Carter, presi.
dent of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen; Warren S. Stone, grand chief
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers; A. B. Garretson, president Of the
Order of Railway Conductors; w. G.
Lee president of the Brotherhood of
Trainmen; William C. Brown, president
of the New York Central; Samuel Ross,
president of the Pennsylvania railroad
George W. Stevens, president of the
& Ohio; and Daniel Willard,
president of the Baltimore & Ohio.