New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-20
President Empowered to
Act in Conference
With Men
Expect Arbitration
To Settle Trouble
Railways Likely to Ask
Government to Regulate
Rates During War

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19.-President
Wilson received free hand to-day
from the railroads in his effort to avoid
a strike for higher wages by engineers,
conductors. trainmen and brakemen,
with whose representatives he will con-
fer here Thursday.
Formal announcement by the Rail-
roads War Board that the railroads
were ready, should any crisis arise, to
place their interests unresevedly in
the hands of the President for such
disposition as he may determine is
necessary in the public interest, was
expected to clear away misunderstand-
ings of the four brotherhoods over the
attitude of the roads, which had
caused the unions to refuse TO arbi-
trate the dispute.
The prediction was made last week
that there would be no railroad strike.
This prediction was based, however. on
the statement that the President had
been authorized by the railroad broth
erhoods to offer plan of settlement as
to wages and the brotherhoods would
accept the plan. II was not hinted at
that time that it would be the railroads
which would throw themselves into the
arms of the President.
Possibility of a stoppage in the
steady flow of commerce, thereby para
Lying the nations war preparations,
was believed by officials to have passed.
They expected that an agreement to
leave the wage question to an impair
tial tribunal would result from Thurs
days conference, and already sugges-
tions for means TO forestall any
further agitation concerning wages and
conditions of work during the war
which at the same time would protect
the workers in maintaining their stand
ards of life in the midst of war prices
are under consideration. England's ex-
ample of allowing the Board of Trade
to regulate wages at intervals Of sew
eral months and at the same time sd-
lust rates to protect the railroads is
receiving close study.
Speaks for All Roads
Fairfax Harrison, chairman of the
executive committee Of the American
Railway Association, commonly known
az the war board. wrote the following
letter to Judge William l.. Chambers,
chairman Of the United States Board
of Mediation and Cancellation, who con-
ferred with various railroad executives
in New York Saturday and with the
war board to-day:
"We confirm what we said to you
this morning in reply to your inquiry
as to what will be the attitude OF the
railroads with respect to the manner
Of settlement of any demands for in
creases in pay or changes in working
conditions which during the war may
be made upon them by employees.
"Speaking for all the railroads to-
day, we reiterate our belief in and
general acceptance of the principle
of arbitration. In the midst OF war
we are, however, prepared to go
further. As no interruption Of con-
tinuous railroad operation can be
tolerated under war conditions we
are ready, should any crlsls now
arise. unreservedly to place our in
terests IN the hands of the Presi-
dent for protection and for disposi-
tion as he may determine is neces-
sary in the public interest"
Arbitration May Result
Some form of arbitration, it is be-
lieved confidently, will result from the
Presidents conference and succeeding
negotiations. For their part, the rail-
roads have indicated that they may ask
for some form of control of wages and
rates similar to that in effect to regu-
late coal wages and prices. Brother
hood officials have disclosed a serious
situation in their discussions with
Judge Chambers, who has been Presi-
dent Wilson's representative IN pre-
liminary conferences with both sides.
They said increased wages are neces-
sarv to maintain the operating person
mel of the roads against the induce
ments of higher wages paid in other
industries which have government con-
tracts. Recruiting Of railroad regi-
rents for service in France, enlistment
i the army and the operation Of the
droft law also have aided in depicting
,he number Of highly trained railroad