New-York tribune., 1920-02-17
Labor PrOviso
'Redrafted i'm
! New Rail Plan
q
Cummins Says Clause APP
4 proved by Hines Is Result
of Strike Threat by Main
tenance ofWay Employees
Governs Wage Dispute
Submission of Controver.
sizes to Board Compulsory
's' Before Cessation of Work

% WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. Final
- agreement on railroad reorganization
= Legislation was reached late to-day by
; planned to have the report ready for
their signatures tomorrow, so it could
he presented to the House the follow
ing day.
Aside from textual changes. the gen
eral features Of the compromise bill
follow the lines agreed upon recently
by the conferees, with the exception Of
the labor provision, which was modified
so as to provide for Federal appeal
board appointed by the President and
consisting of nine members, equally
divided among the employees, employ
ers and the public. AS previously
agreed upon, this board was to have
consisted of five members.
The new labor provision amounts
virtually to redrafting Of the earlier
agreement and results directly, ac-
cording to Senator Cummins, of Iowa.
chairman of the Senate conferees,
from developments incident to the
strike Of maintenance of way employ
ees, which was called off before the
men walked out Senator Cummins
said he laid the draft Of the new pro-
vision before Director General Hines
yesterday, and the revised section was
said to conform in principle with the
Director Gene RAILS views.
To Take Up Wage Dispute
AS originally proposed, five boards,
composed equally of employees and en-
ployers, would have been established to
deal with labor disagreements, and
their conclusions would have been sub
iect to the approval of a Federal board,
consisting of five members appointed
by the President with the Senates
consent. Instead, this plan was changed
by the conferees to provide that while
adjustments Of labor differences might
be made by representatives of the men
and the carriers in cases where strike
was threatened, which would tie up in
terstate commerce, submission of the
dispute to the Federal board was made
compulsory before a cessation of work
occurred and the findings of this board
would be final
To prevent discrimination against
the public, the conferees inserted
provisions requiring the boards deci-
sion to be made by majority, one Of
which must be representative of the
public.
Was the labor provision agreed on
so that this board can take jurisdic-
tion Of the pending wage controversy ?"
Senator Cummins was asked
THAT was in mind" he replied.
Attention was called to the fact that
The Presidents reply to the railroad
men Indicated he might appoint a sep
arate board to deal with their griev-
ances.
II hope he will not do that, but that
he will regard this board as we'll quail
fed to take hold of the situation"
Senator Cummns said "If he doesn't,
it will cause some confusion, for it will
he this boards duty to consider the
dispute"
To Present Report Tomorrow
Senator Cummins said he and Chair
man Esch of the House managers
would meet tomorrow to 20 over the
final draft Of the bill. Representative
Esch announced tonight he would sub
nit the conference report to the
House Wednesday, at which time
IT will also be presented to the SEN
ate. He plans to ask for unanimous
agreement to restrict debate on the
biz in the House to four hours, and
ton on the legislation Saturday.
Director General Hines has made
arrangements whereby railroad cor
porations will assume liability for
much Of the material bought by the
railroad administration and undelv-
cred at the termination of Federal con-
troll, it was revealed in the annual re-
port of Henry B. Spencer, director of
the purchasing division, made public
tonight. The arrangement also pro-
vides for the cancellation Of contracts
for material which the railroads can
not accept or are not willing to as
sumo.
Mr.. spencer's report discloses that
during 1919 the railroad admnistra-
tion spent total of LAO, ,931 900 for
supplies for the roads under govern
ment direction. These supplies includ-
ed: Fuel, S403,s1b.000; rails, $6O,764,
600; cross ties, s10S 232 900, and other
materials, $56S, ,119, 900.