Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-15
PRESIDENT Pr j; AND
555s LABOR BOARD
NJ GROUP CONFER
Commerce Commission and
/ Labor Board Members to
Deal With Unions.
Statement Expected From
q Harding on the Railroad
Strike Soon.

W ashington, Oct. 15-President
Harding today assumed active leader
ship in the governments efforts to
settle differences between the rail-
roads and their employees, and desig-
mated as the best available agencies
TO avert serious labor complications.
the public group Of the railroad labor
board and the membership of the
interstate commerce commission.
5 After an hour. the conference in
stltuted by President Harding be-
tween the interstate commerce COM
mission and the three members of
the railroad labor board, representing
the public, broke up, but Chairman,
McChoFd of the commission said the,
participants would return at 2 O'Clock.
Neither Judge Barton, chairman Of,
the labor board. nor Mr.. McChord
would state upon what line the dis
cussion was proceeding. but it was
Indicated something might be said o.
its conclusion. - = 4. 4
The conference apparently. came, as
a surprise to both the labor n1embers
and the Interstate commerce commits
sioners and no preliminary arrange
ments had been made for it. 3jsaN
Left White iHous..
President Harding. after as brief
conference with *the%s tbree .sE puh hlits
memherssaf At ihess Ia hos ,saa s,sit fae.
White TISuss WIFI III en-, Sguiiif III Ifies
direction of,the building which houses
the interstate commerce commission.
Arriving at the Interstate commerce
building, the president and the labor
board members went into the conf,
were locked land a conference with
the full membership of the commits
sion started.
Chairman Barton of the board and
Ben w. Hooper. another member Of
the public group on the board, made
a hurried trip here from Chicago at
the presidents request. The third
representative of the public present
was G. Wallace w. Hanger.
Plan Not Revealed.
It was not revealed what particular
plan they. have in contemplation, but
it was indicated that the president
ment relative to the threatening
strike. He has given the situation
close attention and has familiarized
himself with the fight between the
employers and the employees.
While the labor board members
were in conference with the presi-
dent, William n. Johnston, president
of the International Association of
Machinists. issued a, statement in
which he declared that IF the train
men and other operating employees go
out on October 80 the machinists and
the railroad employees in group two,
which includes all the shop crafts
will go with them at the same time"
This would result he declared. In
"the greatest railroad tieup in his
tory"
Others Would Go.
Mr.. Johnston added that he had
mo doubt that group three, which
includes the maintenance Of way and
clerks and other unions, will also go
with the transportation and shop
crafts" A4
After remaining in the conference
about fifteen minutes. the president
the labor board members and the
interstate commerce commission
members in conference.
The president brought together the
three public representatives on the
wage board and the full membership
of the committee in a meeting to
consider not only the threatened
question of a readjustmept Of rail-
road rates and wages
The three wage board members,
Chairman Barton, G.. Wallace Hanger
and Ben w. Hooper. came to Wash
ington at the presidents urgent re-
quest andsWent With MIN to the Of
fees OF the interstate commerce COM
mission. The president remained in
the conference for fifteen minutes
and then returned i to the White
House, where statement was issued
declaring his move was part of a
general effort at reaHgnment of the
railroad situation.
THE purpose of the meeting" said
the White House statement, was a
broad consideration of the possibility
Of an early adjustment Of railroad
rates and wages. in the expectation
that 1t would contribute to the indus
trial revival. II!
No Mention OF Strike. j,s
No specific mention Of the threat
ened strike was made in the state
ment, although 1t was indicated that
The situation precipitated by the vir-j
tual decision Of the emp1oyes' unions
had brought Mr.. Hardins's plan to a
head. Il 1t was assumed that the strike
proposal formed the principal topic
Of discussion at the conference.
Continued on page 81