New-York tribune., 1913-07-25
RAILROAD GRIEVANCES
WILL Be ARB|TRATED, TOO
Men Are ReCeding from 0ppoSl-
tion to Five Demands OF
Employers.
MEDIATORS WORK SLOWLY
Policy of Silence Urged by
Trainmen Envelops Results
of Days Conferences
in Mystery.

Five Of the eight grievances put forth
by the Eastern railroads will be arbi-
trated. together with the demands OF
their conductors and tranmen. according
to Information that came last night from
man who can speak authoritatively on
the subject
The men, this authority asserted, are
fast coming TO a point where they recOS-
nize that the railroads have as much
right under the law 10 have their griev-
ances arbltrated as the employees have.
The authority for this stated that the
change in front on the part OF the men,
who at irsS insisted that their grev-
ances, and theirs alone, be arbitrated. was
due TO the fight the railroad managers
have been making at the conferences.
The managers all along have stood out
for an arbitration for at least five or
their original eight grievances az mat
ter Of principle, and their withdrawal or
the other three has satisfied the men.
The federal Board OF Mediation and
Cancellation held two conferences yester-
day one in the morning with the com
mttee Of twelve representing the train
men and conductors. lasting three and
half hours, and another in the afternoon
with the conference committee OF man
ayers, representing the railroads.
None Of the inter, sted parties would
speak for publication Of the days devel-
opments. because II the star chamber
rules laid down by the federal Board
Of Mediation and Cancellation. at the In
stigation Of W. G.. Lee. president OF the
Brotherhood OF Railway Trainmen, and
a. B. Garretson. president Of the order
OF Railroad Conductors. The railroad
managers are for open Conferences, taxi
Ing the stand that the public should know
what is going on. but the federal medi-
ators, through their appointed press rep
rescntative. pleaded that they would not
be able to discriminate between what Is
good news and bad news. and therefore
take the only safe ground left 10 them.
which Is the one OF silence.
Elisha Lee speaking as a representa-
tive OF the conference committee OF man
ayers was asked last night after IL be-
came known that the gag rule had been
laid down by the federal mediators. II II
was the policy OF the railroad managers
to keep the public In the dark concerning
the important labor matters now In con-
troyersy.
The conference committee OF managers
welcome the widest publicity In all mat
ters with which IL IS concerned" he re-
piled. The publlcs interest is paramount
in the present controversy. and FOR that
reason the managers conference commit
tee has endcayored 10 give the public all
the information IN its possession"
The same question was put TO A. r..
Garretson. representing the employees, and
his answer was:
ANY a?prcc!able publicity In a situation
Ike this Is dangerous. one wrong word
that would. slip into the newspapers woult
spoil everything"
lie was reminded that Charles = Neill,
when be was IN charge Of the arbitration
proceedings during the TAFT administra-
tion. always gave out news at the close
OF ZACH days wCrk to the newspapers.
"Ah. yea." replied Garretson siknihcant-
ly. "but you want 20 remember that Com
missioner Nell was one man in ten thou
sand"
II was learned tina, the star chamber
rules were aIbpttN on " 'uUthudN Il'l u .
ing when Garretson and ". G.. Lee COM
planned 10 the federal mejiators thu Thrt
they called "garblcd accounts OF the pro-
cec.ings were finding their way into print
II was then that the rule OF silence was
adopted and that Assistant Commissioner
| Hanger vas appointed It's press represen-
tatlye. with orders 10 give nothing out.
S,me OF the swltChmcn and yardmen
OF the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern.
who are members OF the Switchmen's
| Union. which is not AFFILIATED with ths
Brotherhood OF Railway Trainmen. have
written letter TO the federal mcdiators
complaining that they are not represented
at the conferences and that therefore they
would not be bound by any arbitration
findings that did not meet with their ap-
proval This. however is expected TO be
settled amlclbly.