Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-14
President Wilson Meets Heads
of Railroads and Represent
atives Of Employees.
PROSPECT OF MEDIATION
UNDER THE ERDMAN ACT
Agreement Whereby Threatened Tie.
Up Of Transportation May Be
Averted Is Expected. /

Wnat time President Wilson could saw
from conferences with visitors this morn
ing ne devoted to consideration OF the
questions involved in the dispute between
! the managers and employees of the east
ern railroads. to be primed for the con-
ference which is being held this after
noon. The President returned to the
White House this morning without opin-
| ions or prejudices. having given no seri-
Gus thought to any matters but recrea-
uon during his absence at Cornish.
While he guards himself against any
aoVance expression of surety. the Presi-
dent expects that the conference will re
suit In some agreement for arbitration
neither side. he declares has voiced any
determined opposition to mediation under
tne present law He feels great confidence
that an agreement will be reached for
arbitration under that law or under the
law as 1t may be amended in compliance
with the views OF Secretary Wilson OF
the Labor Department or Senator New
lands. who is voicing the views of the
Civic Federation. which fathered the Erd-
man act-the present law.
The conference is called at the reuuest
OF the Civic Federation, which is anxious
| to avert the threatened strike of the
| trainmen and conductors on the forty-five
| roads involved In the disputation with
| employees. The proposed amendments to
the Erdman act will be the principal
| concern Of the conference. Both rail
road managers and employees favor "A
change of the law that would increase
| the membership Of tho arbitration board
| authorized by the Erdman act
Not an Essential Point.
The President did not regard It as an
essential consideration in the present sit
uation whether the Department of Labor
shall have jurisdiction under the media
ton act as proposed In the Clay ton
amendment to the Erdman law or wheth-
| er the mediation board shall be inde-
| pendent. Those who requested him ~
call the meeting. he says. have not ad-
vised him OF any unaiterable opposition
to submission Of the dispute to mediation.
even under the present law, IL no amend
ment could be agreed upon.
The President found on his desk this
morning abstracts of the case prepared
for him by Secretary Tumulty. He de-
voted what time he could find for the
purpose to the digestion OF these facts
The conference was called for O'Clock
and is being held in the Presidents room
In the executive offices. The government
is represented by President Wilson, Sec
retary Wilson of the Department Of La
Dor, Senator Newlands chairman Of the
Senate committee on Interstate commerce.
and author Of the Newlands bill intro
duced In the Senate to amend the Erd-
man act; Representative Clayton. chair
man Of the House judiciary committee.
| author OF the Clayton amendment to the
same law, pending in the House, and
James R. Mann. minority leader OF the
House. The President viii take more
than a passive part In the conference.
He states that he would find it difficult
| to act only as presiding officer.
1 For the railroads there will be present
| Samuel Rea, president of the Pennsyl-
| yania railroad; Daniel Willard, president
| of the Baltimore and Ohio; George W.
and Ohio: Frank Trumbull, chairman OF
/ the executive board of the Chesapeake
and OHIO; w. {. Brown, president of the
| New York Central. and President Wick
| ersham of the Atlanta and West Point.
/ The trainmen and conductors will be
| represented by Warren S. Stone presi-
dent of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers; w. 8. Carter. president of the
Brotherhood of Firemen: A. B. Garrett
son, president of the Order of Railroad
Conductors, and W. G. Lee, president Of
( the Brotherhood OF Railroad Trainmen.
In addition there will be a representa-
| ton from the Civic Federation, consist
| ing of Seth Low. president: Marcus NJ.
Marks, and Ralph Easley, secretary.
Power Conferred on the President.
| Should the conference fail of an agree
| ment, the President has authority under
the law to refer the matter to board
of mediation designated by himself. This.
without authority of law at that time.
was done by President Roosevelt in the
miners troubles. The President is aware
that this right vests in him, OF course.
but says that he has not considered such
procedure. as he has reason TO expect
/ that the trainmen and managers will
agree upon mediation under the Erdman
act, as at present or as amended.
A strike of 100000 conductors and train
men on forty-two railroads east of the
Mississippi and north of the Ohio rivers
hangs on the conference The committee
OF 600 representing the Order of Rail
road Conductors and the Brotherhood o.
Railway Trainmen employed on eastern
railroads, has already ratified the strike
vote taken by both organizations when
their demand for % per cent increase
of wages and improved working condi-
tons was refused.
A. B. Garretson. president Of the Order
Of Railroad Conductors. and w. G.. Lee.
president of the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen, have been given authority 10
call the strike whenever they think IL is
advisable. Both arrived in Washington
this morning to attend the conference al
the White House this afternoon and they
plainly indicated that unless the confer
ence is successful the strike will be
called.
Seth Lows Hope in Conference.
Seth Low. president of the National
Civic Federation and former mayor OF
New York. who has been attempting 10
bring about a settlement of the question
at issue, said before going into the con
ference that the representatives of the
railroads have agreed to submit the ques-
ton to arbitration IL the Newlands BILL
reconstructing the Erdman act, is passed
by Congress. He expressed hope that
the conference this afternoon will be sue
cessful.
Attended by some of the biggest rail-
road men In the country. by the heads o.
ali the big railroad employees organiza-
tions and by Secretary of Labor Wilson
and prominent members OF both houses
of Congress, the conference this after
noon is said to be the biggest thing %
its kind ever held in Washington. The
men who are taking part In the confer
ence arrived in the city last night and
this morning, President Samuel Rea or
the Pennsylvania system. being the last
to arrive.
.,,aaanca hefore the opening OF the Con-