New-York tribune., 1922-09-16
Pennsylvania Makes Own
Agreement With Broth
erlloods and N. Y. C. Set
ties With Two of Them
Six Other Systems
Likely to Follow
Action Believed 10 Fore
cast End of Compacts
Through National Body

4 g
/ improvement in the railroad situation
Amicable settlement was concluded be.
tween the Pennsylvania Railroad and
| the Big Four train service brother
hoods and the New York Central lines
concluded q similar peace with two of
the bretherhoods, the trainmen and
conductors. Before the end of next
weeE it is expected that the brother
| hood officials will have concluded sim
! liar agreements with six other impor-
tant railroads in the Eastern group.
The conference between New York
Central officials and representatives
OF the striking shopmen, which was
! scheduled for yesterday, was adjourned
until to-day, due to the inability of the
union leaders to arrive here in time
for the session. With the conclusion
| of this settlement the labor troubles on
the ew York Central will be at an end
| The signing of the agreements after
direct negotiations between the
brotherhood officers and the railroads
was thought to herald the end of the
system of nationwide settlements
| through the agency of the Railroad
Labor Board President A. H. Smith
| emphasized this return to old-fashoned
cross-tablo conference and referred tt
it as happy augury of better era in
the conduct of transportation service
Don't Need Politicians
| w. G. Lee, president of the train.
mems brotherhood, was even more EN-
phatic in his belief that the railroad
workers and employers could get along
i much better without "the ministry OF
/ politicians"
| "Im not criticizing the Railroad
! Labor Board" he said, "but for twenty
| five years I've been doing business
| across the table with these men and
! know we can settle our troubles in that
! way"
! In their agreements with the train
3service brotherhoods the New York
| Central roads and the Pennsylvania
1 agreed TO continue the present wagt
/ by existing rules and Norking, Condi-
tionsf for one year beginning September
80. The statement issued by the New
| York Central officials announcing the
settlement stated that similar negotia-
| tions with the engineers and firemen
would be undertaken shortly.
| The announcement OF the signing of
| agreements with all four brotherhoods
| by the Pennsylvania was made by w.
| G. Lee, president of the Brotherhood
of Railway Trainmen. Pennsylvania
officials, however, said negotiations
were still in progress. Like the agree
ments entered into with the Central,
! Mr. Lee said the Pennsylvania pacts
assure the men continuance of pres
| ent wages and working conditions for
| one year.
| The railroads and the brotherhoods
| both agreed to drop all cases involving
wages and working conditions now
pending before the Railroad Labor
! Board under the terms of the settle
ment. For several months now the
railroads have had an application be-
| fore that body requesting further
reduction of "a cents an hour in the
| pay of train service workers and elm
| nation of punitive overtime. The
brotherhoods had demanded changes IN
certain rules governing train operation.
More Agreements Expected
Plans for additional conferences
have been made involving the Lehlgh
| Valley, New York, New Haven & Hart
| ford: Central Railroad of New Jersey,
| the Erie. Boston & Maine, and the
Maine Central. With these agreements
| completed Mr.. Lee said large por-
| tion of the tonnage east of the Ohio
River will have been signed up for the
next year, and within a few weeks it
! is expected that the remaining. rail-
roads Of the country will have signed.
| Mr.. Lee said that with L. q. Sheppard,
president of the Order Of Railroad
Conductors, he would meet the nanag-
ers Of the Western railroads IN Chi
eago on Tuesday.
The situation was further eased, al
least in so far as shippers are con
cerned, by the partial lifting Of the
embargo against perisnable foods an
! nounced by the Erie Railroad several
DAYS ago. Pressure by the Interstate
Commerce Commission is said to be N
part responsible for the modification
Of the embargo, and it is expected the
aid Of the commission will row be
sought in getting other roads to handle
ait least a part Of the Erie's California
fruit business.
Due to the intercession of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission it was
generally admitted in railroad circles
| that the more drastic requirements OF
| the cmbargoes announced by the Erie,
Lehigh Valley, D., L. & W., and the
CONTINUED on pase seyen)