Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-12

New York, Aug. 2.-Settlement of the
controversy between 100000 railway
employees and the railway managers of
the country this afternoon appeared i'm
possible without an appeal to President
Wilson or a strike tying up 25 railroads
of the country.
Members of the federal board of med
iation and Cancellation have not aband-
oned hope. They were endeavoring to
persuade the employees to consent to ar
hitration this afternoon. So far this has
been rejected.
Mediation has failed. The railway
managers insist they are ready to face
strike if the men refuse to arbitrate.
The employees just as firmly reiterated
that arbitration has failed before, and
consequently they cannot consent to it
now.
While continuing their work, the me.
dators are dubious of success. After
session with 600 representatives of
the trainmen which lasted several hours,
it was admitted no progress had been
made toward bringing about arbitra-
tion.
One of the brotherhood officers leav-
ing Webster hall stated that arbitra-
tion had been rejected. President A.
b. Garertson of the conductors brother
hood, cleared this up when he emerged,
however, declaring that while the broth
erhoods still maintained the position
announced at the opening of negotia-
tions, further meetings with the medi-
ators will be held tomorrow.
Mediation Has Failed.
81 have nothing to report" " said Gar
retson, "other than that efforts of the
mediators to reach some settlement were
unavailing.
"The next step then is arbitration.
The mediation board is now endeavoring
to induce the employees to consent to
this. The representatives of the train.
men will meet with the mediators again
tomorrow for further discussion
The situation moved rapidly toward
what seemed 80 be an inevitable break
today. The mediation board had agreed
to make q report to the employees at 10
O'Clock. Their report was that media.
tion had failed. They suggested arbi.
tration and Immediately went into con.
ference with the brotherhood represen-
tatives.
The heads of the brotherhoods and
the railway managers were further
apart this afternoon than when negotia-
tions opened. In earlier statements the
railroads had indicated they would ask
for arbitration but at no time did they
show the insistence upon this today.
Arbitration or Strike.
With the failure of mediation they
left no choice between arbitration and
a strike The brotherhood representa-
tives countered with statements that
they would never agree to arbitration
and II was with this situation confront
ino them that the mediators struggled
this afternoon. An appeal or conference
with President Wilson before direct ae-
tion is taken by the men is probable.
Opposing leaders seemed more deter
mined to hold to their widely divergent
positions.
at is now question of whether
the big brotherhoods will arbitrate,
said one of them who is acting with the
railroad managers.
.'You can state that the railroad
managers will not reeede from their
demands for settlement by arbitration
Under no circumstances will this stand
be deviated from"
"We will never consent to arbitra
tion,' was the unanimous expression
from every member Of the executive
board of the brotherhoods. "The card;
are too easily stacked in arbitration
We have conceded all we can by agree
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