The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-13
COL. BUGG GIVES OUT. | CORRE PROVIDENCE
 WITH CONCIL|ATORS
Cannot Bind Himself to Pay Wages Beyond Power of Railroad to Earn
 Them


 Col R. l.. Bugg, receiver of the Att lanta, Birmingham and Atlantic rail road, yesterday made public his com plete correspondence with Judge w. l.. Chambers and Whitehead Klutz of the United States board of mediation anl conciliation.
 Colonel Bugg took the position that he could not accept any proposition that would bind him to agree to pay wages beyond the power of the railroad to earn the money with which to pay them.
 The correspondence was as follows:
 CHAMBERS LETTER
 Atlanta, Ga, March 10, 1921. Col B. L. Bugg, Receiver, Atlanta, Bir- mingham and Atlantic Railroad, At lanta, Ga
 Dear Sir Since our conference with you yesterday afternoon. and upon fur ther consideration of the subject. we again beg to say that we think the time has arrived (you will recall that we have held at least two conferences each day with you for the past three days) when we should have from you deli rite statement as to whether our serV- ices as mediators under the Newlanes law are accepted by you or declined. These services were rendered by tel egram from the chairman of the board March and have been repeatedly ten dered by the undersigned who constitute a majority of the board. and such serv- ices are hereby again rendered.
 We have just had an interview with Judge Sbley. who, we think, entertamS the same view of the situation as above exnressed ReSuectflllv yours
 "W. l., CHAMBERS,
 WHITEHEAD KLUTTZ.
 "P. S.-We will appreciate reply by messenger some time today
 COLONEL BUGG'S REPLY
 Atlanta. Ga. March 10, 1921. Hon. w. L. Chambers Mir. Whitehead
 <luttz, Atlanta, Ga.
 Dear Sirs: beg to acknowledge re- ceipt of yours of even date, in which you say you think the time has arrived when you should have from me definite statement as to whether your services as mediators under the Newlands law arc accepted by me or declined.
 "I have tried to make myself clear in my conversation with you. but I have no objection to stating my position in writ ing:
 "D l cannot accept any proposition that would bind me to agree to pay wages beyond the power of the railroad to earn the money with which to pay them.
 "(2 To agree to any proposition or recitation or arbitration that would leave open the question of my agreeing to pay money the railroad cannot earn would be tantamount to my leaving open the question of my agreeing to do the inn possible, which is manifestly absurd "In my conferences with you, I have expressed myself as herein indicated, buy to al open, to some extent, the above prop ositons, which l do not consider depat- able Very truly yours,
 "B. L. BuGG. Receiver"
 CHAMBERS ANSWER
 Atlanta, March 10. 1921.-My Dear Colonel Bugg: Acknowledging your letter of this date in reply to the one from Assistant Commissioner Kluttz and my self of the same date.
 q regret exceedingly that in our several conversations with you we have failed to impress you with the fact that in con- sentng to mediation you do not plnd yourself to agree to pay wages beyond the power of the railroad to earn the money with which to pay them; nor nave we proposed to you to bind yoursen or the railroad to any proposal or to any condition except that in the acceptance Of our proffer of services you would CO., operate through us in reaching a pasis of settlement which the employees might be induced to accept. AS a matter or fact we do not ask either party Tn ad- vance to agree to do anything except to enter cordially with us in an effort to reach an amicable adjustment of the dis- pute, and in doing this there is no ad- vanced committal on the part or eitner party to make any concession. It IS di- ways possible, even in mediation, that one party may be able to convince the othei party that he is wholly right Tn the uis- pute In case the mediators should come to the conclusion that there is com promise point which is just to eacn party there would be nothing binding the par ties or either of them to accept such conclusion.
 with the foregoing statement we once more, in the spirit of deep earnestness' and in the highest concern or puohc III. terest. ask you to reconsider what we now understand to be a refusal on your part to accept the services of the poaro | of mediation as rendered, and that such services may yet be availed or py you Sincerely yours w. l.. CHAMBERS. "P. S.-Mr. Kluttz is temporarily aD- sent" ,, Atlanta, March Il, 192l-My Dear Iudpe Chambers: In reply to your favor | of March 10, 1 am unable to ado any ! thing to my letter to you of that uatf' % " which was so plain statement or my 1 position that it could not be msunoer- | stood. - | "No matter what conclusion mlght po reached by arbitration or Heuld.ion, could not pay out as wages more than the road earns, for the obvious reason that [ would have no means with which to pay. This proposition is no more sus- ceptible to compromise than the plication table. .sa
 If the labor unions will permit tne former employees of the railroad 10 re, turn to work they will be re restored ore ,,ss .o their old positions, provided we can use their services and those positions nave not aIreadv been filled, and mediation will will not be necessary for that purpose. "B. L. BUGG. Receiver. DECISION SERIOUS l "Atlanta, March Il, 192l.-Dear Soionoi | Rueg: Your letter of this date we can rtrra as A definite refusal by