New-York tribune., 1919-11-15
Program for Compulsory
Arbitration of Labor Dis
putes, Including Anti.
Strike Provision, Defeated
Win by Large Majorities
No Penalty Against Walk.
Out or Lockout Is Inn
posed Under Measure

WASHINGTON, Nov. Railway
workers scored complete victory in
the House to-day through incorporation
OF their program for voluntary concilia-
tion of labor disputes in the Esch
railroad bill. The House rejected a
plan of compulsory arbitration, includ-
ing an anti-strike provision, and also
the plan written into the bill by the
House Interstate Commerce Committee.
which was described as "middle
ground" between that adopted and
compulsory arbitration. No direct vote
on the anti-strike proposal was taken.
On both votes the proponents of the
unions plan won by large majorities.
First, by vote of 151 to rs, the House
substituted the unions plan for COM
pulsory arbitration, and then, 1e1 to
1os. cast aside the committee program
for that indorsed by the workers. Final
action came after virtually the entire
day had been devoted to debate of the
three plans, and after adoption of the
workers plan renewed effort to include
an anti-strike provision met defeat
through parliamentary tactics.
Workers Divided in Three Classes
The plan approved by the railroad
employees, which was drafted by Rem
resentative Sweet, Republican. Of
Iowa, and offered in the House by Rep
resentatlve Anderson, Republican, of
Minnesota, would legalize the machin
cry used by the railroads and their en-
ployees before and during Federal con-
troll for the settlement. of disputes,
with comm .ssions on labor disputes
beng added to consider cases appealed
from the joint boards that first con-
slder them
In brief the plan divides the rail-
road workers into three classes, and
tor each it establishes an adjustment
board and appeal commission. No
penalty against strike or lockout is
imposed, and membe bership on all six of
the boards would be restricted to the
workers and their employers, and d.
vlded equally between them.
Both the roads and the employers
"ou!o De directed by the plan, as writ
zen INTO the bill, "to exert every rea-
sonaole effort and adopt every avail
able means to avoid an interruntion.
OF traffic, and to this end the three
boards of adjustment would be created.
these being substantially the same as
those existing under the railroad ad-
ministration.
Commission to Consider Appeals
The three adjustment boards would
each deal with disputes of certain
classes Of the fourteen railway unions.
one board would include representa-
tlves of the four large brotherhoods-
the engineers, the fremen, the con-
ductors and the trainmen-another
would include the machinists, the
boilermakers. the blacksmiths, the car
men, the sheet metal workers and
the electrical workers, and the third
would include the telegraphers. the
switchmen, the railway clerks and the
way and shop laborers. Railway ex-
ecutives would name four, six and four
representatives. respectively, as mem
bers of these boards.
Corresponding to each board there
also would be set up q commission to
consider appeals, which could be sent NJ
to them by half the members Of
board These commissions would be
OF the same size as the boards. with
the select method of choosing members
obtaining, but with duality of member