Arizona republican., 1921-10-19
rRepubIiean A. p. Leased Wirel

CHICAGO, Oct. 1S-Charged by President Harding to take every pos sihle step to throttle the threatened rail strike, ordered by the brother hoods for October 30, Chairman R. M. Barton of the railroad labor board arrived here tonight.
 The president is very anxious to do everything possible to avert this threatened calamity he said. The matter has been placed in the hands or the board to see what can be done. I am unable to say just how the matter will be taken up, but the board members undoubtedly will out line a basis of negotiations tomor- row in preparation for the confer ence with brotherhood leaders Thurs day.
 The telegrams summoning the heads of the four brotherhoods and the switchmen's union was sent out by w. L. McMenimen, labor member of the board, at the request of Ju-ge Barton. who was in Washington con- ferring with the president.
 The chairman remained in confer ence with the president until late yesterday. their conclusion resulting in the summons to the labor leaders. No fixed plan was laid down iil the conference, but opinions of be Id
  ment of the public group in Wash iugton Sunday, indicated that the following would be the proposals taken up in Thursdays conference:
 Suspend Strike Order
 Immediate suspension of the strike order pending further negoi- ations looking to settlement Use of the brotherhoods' influence tc forestall strike orders by any other = f1rNY d O a wallxout.
 Proposal of platform on whicf final settlement might be reached, tc include these points; with the pro- vision that there will be no strike.
 Withdrawal for a definite perioe of the proposed request by the road: for further wage decreases. Imme- diate reduction of freight rates.
 This leaves open the two point: said by the train service men to b. paramount One is the question O time and the other is cancellation o revision of rules and working condi tions. High labor leaders have beer fnsistent that these two points form the real bone of contention, although the brotherhoods' strike vote wa taken on the July l wage reduction
 Just how the labor board propose to get around these two stumblini blocks was not made clear.
 Il understand the interstate com merce commission has a'number o important rate reduction cases ol hand on which it will act immedi ately," Judge Barton explained That will give us something to worl on. Of course, the interstate com merce commission has no jurisdic ton on wage questions"
 Judge Barton declined to give hi personal views Of the situation an said he could not speak for tn board, but made it clear he did no wish to conceal anything which tn board could. with pRpriety giv out" The actual basisSof the Thurs day conference, he said, was indefi nite tonight and would not be form ulated until the entire membershi of the board compared suggestion tomorrow.
 Farm Bureau Acts
 The first move by a public organl zation to avert a strike came whe the American Farm Bureau Fedora lion. representing 1.250,000 farmer sent petitions to the interstate com merce commission asking an immec fate 10 to 20 per cent reduction freight rates on necessities, and ar nounced that it also would appeal the labor board not to grant a ne 10 per cent wage reduction which Il roads have announced they will see but rather to revise wages general