Omaha daily bee., 1916-08-10
RAIL EMPLOYEES
ACCEPT OFFER
FOR MEDIATION
Magnates Reject Demands Of
Brotherhoods for Eight
Hour Day and Appeal to p,
Federal Board. -.
BIG STRIKE is AvERTED
Men Refuse to Join in Request
for Mediation, But Decide to
Accept Tender of Board.
AFFECTS 100000 MEN

New York, Aug. 9.-The threat
ened strike of the 100000 railway en-
ployes of the United States was
averted today when the railroad
brotherhoods accepted a proffer OF
TIC United States Board of Media
ton and Cancellation to mediate their
differences with the railroads.
Announcement of the acceptance of
the offer was made by A. B. Garrett
son. head Of the Conductors BROTH
erhood, after IT had been delivered
by y. w. w. Hanger. member OF
the board, following an appeal to that
body to intervent made today BY the
National Conference of Railroad Man
ayers.
Mr.. Garretson said he had informed
the board that the offer was accepted
on the condition that its good Of
tices are promptly exercised"
The federal board, which IS COM
posed of Mr., Hanger, Martin Knapp
and Judge w. L. Chambers, was pre-
pared to begin conferences With the
respective sides to the controversy
before night, it was understood, al
though at the time of Mr.. Garretsor's
announcement the board had not been
officially informed Of the acceptance.
New York. Aug. 9.--The threat
ened strike of the 100000 railway EN-.
ployes of the United States was
averted today when the RAILROAD
brotherhoods accepted a proffer Of
the United States Board OF Media
ton and Cancellation to mediate their
differences with the railroads.
The nt. onal conference Of railway
managers today rejected the mems de-
mands and proposed that they be
mediated by the federal tribune, The
brotherhods, refusing to join in an
appeal to the tribunal, the railroads
made an individual appeal. The fed
eral board, which is in session here.
then offered its services to the BROTH
erhoods and were at noon awaiting
their reply, The indications were at
this time that reply would be favor
Position Of Railroads. i,
Chairman Lee, in rejecting the
brotherhoods' demands and proposing
mediation, made statement in part
as follows: ~
After much consideration, il Is our
Judgment that the proposals which
the men have supported by their vote
involve such changes in operating
methods and such radical revision in
established bases Of Compensation as
to make it apparent that there is little
probability OF our being able to tar-
monte our differences e opinion un-
less this result can be brought about
through the federal board Of media
ton and conciliation, which was
created to assist the parties in lust
such circumstances as now confront
us.
The national conference commit
tee of the railroads is as sincerely
anxious as your committee can be to
reach some adjustment Of the matters
involved in the present controversy.
but we are convinced that in the end
we shall have to invoke the friendly
offices Of the federal board Of media
ton. TN
1T is not open to question that
whatever we can do by direct negotia-
tions we can also do just as quickly
and as effectively through mediation;
and experience has demonstrated that
a common ground could be reached
through the mediators i'll cases where
the parties have been holly unable
to reach such common grounds
through direct negotiations"
Would Negotiate Further.
Mr. .Garretson explained to news
paper men that the unions had not
declined mediation unequivocally, but
had refused to join with the railroads
in asking for it because they did not
believe in it at this time. The BROTH
erhoods' chief, together with his COL
league, Warren S. Stone, reiterated
that their position was that they had
not yet exhausted all the possibilities
by dealing directly with the railroad
managers.
However" said Mr.. Garretson,
"our position is something like Barkis
we are waiting and willing"
h&