Fitzgerald leader. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1921-1921, 1921-03-12
MEDIATORS SEEK
HARDING'S HELP
Bugg Refuses to Mediate Strike;
Commissioners Leave
GO TO WASHINGTON
Will Ask President to Use In.
fluence for Settlement

ATLANTA, March lz.-Efforts by
| twoFederal mediators to settle the
wage strike on the Atlanta Birming-
ham and Atlantic Railway came to a
sudden end here late Friday when af-
ter refusal of B. L. Bugg, receiver,
to enter into the proceedings the two
commissioners announced they would
return to Washington.
The mediators, L. c. Chambers and
Whitehead Kluttz, it was indicated
will place the matter before Presi-
dent Harding in an attempt to restore
service on the road which has been
practically paralized since the strike
began week ago.
The correspondence between the
mediators and Col. Bugg which closed
the effort to arbitrate the controversy
follows. Judge w. L. Chambers wrote
to Col. Bugg as follows:
Colonel B. L. Bugg, Receiver.
My Dear Colonel Bugg:
Acknowledging your letter of this
| date in reply to the one from Assist
ant Commissioner Kluttz and myself
of the same date.
| regret exceedingly that in our sew
eral conversations with you we have
| failed to impress you with the fact
| that in conserving to mediation you
do not bind yourself ito agree to
pay wages beyond the power of the
| railroad to earn the money with which
to pay Them" nor have we proposed
to you to bind yourself or the rail-
road to any proposal or to any condi-
ton except that in the acceptance of
our proffer of services you would CO.
operate through us in reaching basis
OF settlement which the EMPLOYEES
might be induced to accept AS a
matter of fact, we do not ask either
party in advance to agree to do any,
thing except to enter cordially with
us IN an effort to reach an amicable
adjustment of the dispute, and in do
ing this there is no advanced commit
tai on the part of either party to make
any concession. 1t is always possible,
even in mediation, that may be able
to convince the other party that he
is wholly right in the dispute. In case
the mediators should come to the con-
clusion that there is a compromise
point which is just to each party there
would be nothing binding the parties,
or either of them, to accept such con-
clusion.
With the foregoing statement we
once more, in the spirit of deep ear
nestness, and in the highest concern
OF public interest, ask you to recon-
slider what we now understand to be
a refusal on your part to accept the
services of the board of mediation as
rendered, and that such services may
yet be availed of by you Sincerely
yours,
(Signed) w. L. CHAMBERS.
P. S.-Mr. Kluttz is temporarily
absent.
Bugg's Final Reply
This letter ELECTED the following
reply from the receiver:
Hon. w. L. Chambers.
my Dear Judge Chambers: In
reply to your favor of March 10th, I
am unable to add anything to my let
ter to you of that date, which was so
plain statement of my position that
| it could not be misunderstood.
mo matter what conclusion might
be reached by arbitration or media
ton, | could not pay out as wages
more than the road earns, for the OBJ
vious reason that I could have no
means with which to pay. This prop
osition is no more suspectible to COM
promise than the multiplication table.
If the labor unions will permit the
former employees of the railroad to
return to work, they will be restored
to their old positions, provided we
can use their services and those posi-
tons have not already been filled, and
mediation will not be necessary for
that purpose. Very truly yours,
(Signed) B. L. BUGG,
| Receiver