Arizona republican., 1916-08-10
J. ]. MED|ATORS 1. ID BRING ABOUT |. UNDERSTANDING
Republican A. P. Leased Wirel

NEW YORK. Aug. 9.-If the Unit ed States board of mediation and con- ciliation, which was called in today to adjust the differences between the railroads of the country and their 100000 employees fails. President Will son Will be asked to use his personal influence 10 avert a general strike. This statement was made today by a representative of the railroad mana gers which have been conferring with their employees since June
 Late tonight efforts of the federal mediators to bring the contending factions together were well under way. Six hours after the railroad managers had served notice on the men that they would not withdraw their formal rejection of the workers demands and had proposed federal mediation. the mediators and the man. agers were closeted in secret session. Mediation was suggestion in lieu of arbitration under the Newlands act i or by the interstate commerce com mission proposals. which had been re- i fused by the brotherhoods.
 ! What was discussed at the confer ence could not be divulged by any of those attending it. under the media 1 ton rules. but it was understood that the railroad representatives outlined their position in full and indicated | how far they were willing to go in meeting the demands of the men. It was reported that the railroads stood Steedfastly for the main feature of their contingent proposition" made at the June conference which con- ceded the shorter day but eliminated double compensation for different classes of services during the same work day
 It was the failure of the representa- lives of the railroads and the unions 10 agree on the double compensation clause that brought the June confer ence 10 a sudden end and resulted in the strike vote.
 The railroad managers. in present ing their case to the mediaters. were assisted nv three experts on wages and rates, !. w. Higgins, former sec retary of the association Of western railroads, C. c. Walber secretary of the bureau of information of the east i.rn railways, and St. Charles F. Neil manager of the bureau of information of the southeastern railways
 Tomorrow. it was announced by G
 ". ". Hanger a member of the board the mediators will hear the
 
 Then the board will hold alternate conferences with the opposing forces
 Mir Hanger said. When a basis fol an understanding has been reached the railroads and men will be sepa rately asked fl they desire to plac, their case in the hands of the board for final adjudication. If the answer IS in the affirmative, the contendint forces will have to abide by the de
 "ision of the board.
 lt was pointed out by MT Hanger
 however. that acceptance of tn, boards proffer of services is not obi
 gatory on either side. and if thu 2 brothernoods refuse to accept tn ; good offices of the mediators il z reaching a settlement then the situa ton will stand just as it was befor
 the mediators stepped in.
 A. E. Garretscn. president of th : order of Railroad Conductors. an official spokesman of the men. sai
 that unless the railroads made satis
 factory concessions they would re
 fuse to bind themselves to fedora ,, mediation and, unless something els
 intervened the general strike ordc
 would be enforced"