Arizona republican., 1921-10-16
HARDING CALLS LABOR BOARD IN EFFORT TO HAL I. RAILWAY STRIKE
Interstate Commerce Com mission and Public Group Of Labor Board Confer With President
IRepublIoan A. p. Leased WIrel

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15-The pub lie group of the railroad labor board and the full membership of the in- terstate commerce commission by personal direction of President Hard ing joined today in an effort to avert the threatened serious railroad labor complications.
 Summoned here by the President, the three members representing the public on the railroad laor oard were escorted by MT. Harding to a con- ference with members of the inter- state commerce commission. which which was unfinished and left open to resumption Monday.
 Silence was maintained, even in the face of the strike call issued late today at Chicago. but the purpose of the meeting was said in an announce ment fo be consideration 'of the possibility of an early adjustment of railroad rates and wages.
 The statement explained that Chairman Barton of the board, and c. Wallace Hanger. and Ben W. Hooper. the two other public mem hers. alone were called in because the labor and railroad mmebers were -in the nature of things partisan.
 Chairman McChord and the full in
  ceived President Harding with the board members and participated in a morning session after the President had departed. The chairman and Commissioners Eseh. Parker, Lewis and Eastman resumed the conference with the board group in the after noon and will meet with them again Monday.
 After today's conference, MT. Hooper remarked that We've been hearing that railroad strike talk now for a year and a half, and nobody has seen the strilxe."
 The statement issued at the White House outlined the Presidnet's belief that the public group of the wage board and the members of the com mission could do most for the public welfare if they worked in coopera- tion. It also emphasized the opinion held in administration quar- ters that a readjustment of tho whole rail situation would be of the greatest possible aid toward a gen. eral industrial rehabilitation. Aftel setting forth the purpose of today. conference, the statement said:
 Official Statement
 'The railway labor board, created by the Cummins- -Esch act, comprise: nine members in three groups O three each. The public group ar' named by the President; the labo group are named from a list nomi mated by the railwaly labor organi zations. and the managing group iron list of nominees named by the rail way executives. The board authorized generally to deal with tn labor, wage and working condition that concern the employees of the rail ways, and is given, in some direc tiOns, rather broad powers.
 Tn asking the members of the pub lie group to meet him, the presider was moved by the desire to accom- piish what he hopes may be impo1 tant results, as early as possibl Recognizing that the labor group an also the managing group are in tf nature of things partisans of the re spective elements which they reT resent the president felt that it wa unnecessary to invite these tw groups because their attitudes woul necessarily be pasisan in any cor sidesation of wage questions. TT labor group could be expected to aC Vocate maintenance of the highe possible wages, while the managir group could equally be expected
 insist that wages ooght to be r duced It was therefore, the pres dents opinion that the most prom and effective results might be secur, by simply calling in the public grol which is concerned equally with u interests of labor. of management,
 shippers and of general community.
 The president has been impress
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