Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-19

Ihe PRESIDENTS mediatorS, playing
what they considered their last trump
card, We're not successful in their mis-
sion until after more than fifty hours
of anxious conferences, all of which
pointed With ma short time before the
decision was announced to an newt
able deadlock.
Secretary of the Interior Lane and
other mediatorS were Visibly affected
when told of the action of the railway
managers. Mr.. Lane sent Immediately
for the committee of the railroads, and
turning to Elisha Lee, their spokes-
man. said:
This is a magnificent thing that
you have done for your country. 1t
will go down in history as one of the
greatest things you ever did"
The brotherhood chiefs, who already
had left the hotel where the confer
ences were being held and had retired
for the night apparently convinced
that settlement of the differences
could not be reached, were summoned
next. Their faces showed the relief
they felt from the strain under which
they had labored since early Friday
evening with the Presidents commit
tee. w G.. Lee, head of the train
men, announced for them that orders
would go forward at once informing
all district chairmen of the brother
hoods of the successful outcome of the
conferences.
By the terms of the settlement, the
combined salary list of the railroads
will be increased approximately $780,
900, 600 Il year, according to conserVa-
tive estimates. The number of work
men profiting by this increase will be
more than 100000.
Nations Crisis Considered
That the crisis resulting from fheI
sinking of three American ships by
German submarines was the prime
factor in clearing the situation and
restoring the country to normal con-
ditions insofar as its transportation
facilities were concerned, was con-
ceded by ALL The railroad managers
who until a late hour last night had
held out against the brotherhoodS, had
been dismissed temporarily by the
Presidents mediators, who made no
secret of the fact that they viewed the
outlook with pessimism Secretary
Lane, a short time before word came
that the managers had yielded issued
a statement that the conferences would
he resumed to-day, but intimated that
he was none too hopeful of a settle
ment.
The Presidents mediators again
communicated with the railroad man
ayers, however, with the result that
they are said to have voted unanim-
ously to-day to the demands of the
brotherhoods in order that not at
home nor abroad should there be fear
of the hope that the efficient opera
ton of the railroads of the country
will be hampered or impaired
Patriotic Act
The mediation negotiations and the
result are summed up in the following
issued at six o'clock this morning by
the committee from the council of
national defense.
I'VE desire to express our apprecia-
a. ,f a. "A at,-t, ,rtt
of the railway managers committee
which has put beyond peradventure
the possibility of a nationwide rail-
road strike. The railroads have met
the full demand of the Adamson eight
hour law. This concession was Sc
cured as the elimination of two days
and nights of negotiation.
Our first effort was to secure al
postponement of the strike which was
fixed for Saturday night. This post
ponement was secured by presenting
to the railway managers a memoran-
dun agreement drafted by the broth
erhoods which with some particularly
expressed the provision of the Adanf-
son law. We asked the railways to
agree that if the Adamson law was
held constitutional that this construc-
ton and application would be given
to it. The railways agreed to this at
a Joint session between the brother
hood chiefs and the managers. And
with much difficulty the chiefs stayed
the strike, an act that was vital to the
success of our efforts at further
mediation.
I'VE next sought some adjustment
that would be effective should the law
be held unconstitutional In this re-
gard many propositions were made 10
Both sides until the railroads express
cd Il Willingness to place tho( "l"ic
matter in the hands of the committee.
This aoticn proceeded. as the lcttor Of
the railway managers states. from a
dcsrr 10 demonstrate to the county
that tie railroads would not allow
their own conception of railroad
policy to stand in the way of the full