The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-08-12
lelEE ON IEllllIlA.
FEDERAL BOARD WORKING ON
RAILWAY STRIKE pROPO.
SlTION.
III Mediation Effort Fails, Wilson Will
Probably be Called to Throw Ills
Personal Strength into Scale for
Settlement.

; Settlement.
New York, Aug. 9.--If the United
States board Of mediation and concil.
iation. which was called in today
fails to adjust the differences between
.fthe~railroads of the country and thei,
100000 employees. President Wilson
will be asked to use his personal effort
to prevent "a general strike. Thi.
statement was made today by rep
resentative of the railroad managers
who have been negotiating with the
men since June 1.
The offer OF the federal board
which is cOmposerd of g. w. w. Han
gar, Martin A. Knapp and Judge w. L.
Chambers. was accepted today by the
Representatives Of the brotherhoods.
The federal board of mediation and
cancellation has notified u.s." read Mr..
Garretson's statement. that 1t has re-
ceived the request of the managers
conference committee to exercise lis
friendly offices I'm an effort to bring
about an amicable settlement of the
questions that exist between the con-
ference committee of the managers
and ourselves. Our answer was to the
enscr that we would accept the media
tors proffer OF their friendly offices
provided 1t was promptly exercised. !"
Late tonight efforts of the federal
mediators to bring the contending
factions together were wcn under way.
Six hours after the railroad managers
had served notice on the men that
they would not Withdraw their formal
reflection of the workers demands and
had proposed mediation. the media
tors and the managers were closeted
In secret session. Mediation was sue-
|gested In lieu of arbitration under the
Newlands act or by the interstate COM
merce commission proposals which
had been rejected by the brotherhood.
What was discussed at the confer
ence could not be divulged under
mediation rules. but 1t was understood
that the railroad representatives indi-
Gated how far they were willing to 20
In meeting the demands of the men.
pit was reported that the railroads
stood steadfastIy for the main feature
Iof their Contingent pfopositIorl. =
made at the June conferences. which
cqnceded Che shorter day but elimi-
mated double compensation for siiffer-
Ient classes of service during the same
work day.
The railroad managers. In present
ing their case to the mediators, were
as ted by three experts on rates and
wages. j. w. Higgins, former secre-
tary Of the Association Of Western
Railroads: G. @. walber, secretary
of the bureau of information of the
Eastern railroads. and st. Charles p.
Nell, manger Of the bureau of in
formation Of the Southeastern rail-
ways
Tomorrow. 1t was announced by G..
w. Hangar. member OF the board,
the nediatOrs viii hear the railroad
employees. Then the board will hold
alternate conferences with the oppos-
ing forces. Mr.. Hangar said. When a
basis for an understanding has been
reached, the railroads and men will
be separately asked IL they desire to
place their case in the hands of the
board for final adjudication. II the
answer ls In the affirmative the con-
tending forces will have to abide by
the decision Of the board.
It was pointed out by Mr.. Hagar,
however, that acceptance of the
boards proffer of services is not oblig-
atory on either side.
| "A. B. Garrotson, president of the
railroad conductors, and offlcIal
spokesman for the men. said that un
less the railroads made satisfactory
concessions the men would refuse 10
bind thcmselves\to to federal mediation
and unless something intervened the
general strike order would be en-
forcd.