Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-17
RAILROAD BILL
PROVIDES PLAN
OF ARBITRATION
Provides for Temporary Ad-
justment Board With Perma-
nent Appeal Body.
SOLONs TO RUSH LAW

WASHINGTON, Feb. IA permanent
system of arbitration, which, 1t is be-
lieved will be satisfactory to labor, has
been agreed upon by senate and house
cOnferees as the finishing touch to the
railroad bill.
The labor provisions were changed at
the last minute because Of recommends
tions made by Director General Hines
which are understood to represent the
views of President Wilson. The plan
adopted is similar to that proposed by
the president as the means OF settling
the present railway wage dispute
All anti-strike or compulsory arbitra-
tion features were previously eliminated
from the conference report and the new
system relies entirely upon public opin-
ion for its enforcement.
The conference report, which Will be
submitted to the house tomorrow, creates
a railway board of labor appeals and
allows the formation of railway adjust
ment boards whenever satisfactory to
both carriers and employees.
APPEAL BOARD ONLY
TO HANDLE WAGES.
The adjustment boards are Of a tenn
porary nature and may handle disputes
over hours. grievances and working con
ditions, but not wages. After a failure
appeal can be taken to the appeals board
which has the exclusive jurisdiction Of
all disputes concerning weges, this pro
vision being added 10 insure uniform
wages throughout the country
The makeup of the appeals board was
one Of the last minute changes cf tho
conferees. II had been tentatively agreed
that the board was to be composed or
five members, three Of whom represented
the public, the carriers and the en-
ployes, and this plan was accepted with
the Limitation that at least one public
representative must vote for an increase
In wages before it can be accepted A
majority vote IS required to make an
award. The adjustment boards are com
posed Of equal numbers of representa-
tives of the carriers and the employees.
PRESIDENT TO NAME
BOARD MEMBERS.
Members OF the appeals board are 10 be
appointed by the president for terms Of
two, three and four years with the ap-
proval OF the senate. and their salaries
are fixed al $4,000 There are nine mem
bers.
provision requires that all members
Of this board must dispose Of any in
terests they have in railroad securities.
The three carrier and three eInploye mem
bers are selected from lists Of six can
didates submitted to the president by
the railway executives and organized
labor. The president selects three mem
bers himself
To guard the rights OF unorganized
labor. the bin allows the board to take
up any dispute upon the petition Of 100
unorganized workers.
Awards Of the appeals board are final
but no penalties are provided for viola
tions. All alleged violations will be In.
vestigated by the board and II found TO
be contrary to the award win be so de-
clared publicly.
ACTION EXPECTED
TO BE RUSHED.
The house expects tc rush the bin
| to passage and the senate is expected
to follow with speedy action.
The following general provisions are
agreed on In the reports:
The interstate. coIamerce commission
| shall establish rates which shall Yield on
the aggregate property value OF all roads
in each rate making district as set forth
a net operating income OF So per cent.
to which may be added one-half of I
per cent to be applied to nonproductive
improvements, such as stations, termi-
nails. strengthening rights of-way, etc