Evening star., 1946-10-18
Hopes Brighten
For Settlement
Of Hotel Strike
Both Sides Meet
For First Time
Since WoIkout Beeon

Hopes frightened today for
settlement of the Washington
hotel strike as representatives
OF opposing sides went into con-
ference for the first time since
the 5000 service workers walked
out Of 18 of the city's principal
hotels one week ago.
The meeting was called at the
Labor Department by Conciliator
Clyde Mills.
Two hours after the session began,
at 1890 am, the conference re-
cessed until 2:30 this afternoon with
no announcement made regarding
the morning session.
Mr.. Mills previously had said he
would not propose a resumption of
joint conferences until there was
basis which can provide founda-
ton for joint discussion"
Adding to the frightened out
look was the announcement of
Joseph C. McGarraghy, attorney for
the Hotel Association Of WASH
ington, that managers agreed to
arbitration of the wage issue, as had
been suggested in an editorial in
The Star.
Failure to agree on wages precipi-
tated the strike.
Letter to Conciliator.
Mr.. McGarraghy,s statement. con.
tanned in letter to the conciliator,
represented withdrawal from
management's previous refusals to
arbitrate.
AS the conference opened in Mr..
Mills Office, he supplied union repre-
sentatives with a copy of Mr.. Nc
Garraghy's letter and the union
representatives Immediately went
into separate meeting to consider
whether to accept it as basis for
resumption of negotiations.
Samuel Levine, attorney for the
service workers, reminded that the
unions repeatedly have declared
their willingness to submit the is
sues to arbitration.
Mr.. McGarraghy's letter, written
as a result of the editorial, said:
I'm today's issue of The Evening
Star the lead editorial discusses the
| current hotel-labor dispute and in
cludes a schedule containing four
wage rate columns, the third of
which is designated management
| offer and the fourth proposed
compromise
AFTER discussing the contentious
by the two sides and pointing out
that there are collateral demands
with respect to which there are
conflicting points of view, The Star
proposes as only sensible course to
follow" namely, that is to arbitrate
the wage issue
THE Star further says, Both
sides should agree to that and it is
management's turn to make an
offer
"On behalf of the hotels involved
in the current dispute am author
lied to propose as condition to
settlement of the strike that the
wage dispute as recited in The Star
editorial be submitted to impartial
arbitration, the decision to be final
and binding on both parties, and
the employees to return to work
pending the hearing and decision"
Conflicting Views.
Concluding paragraphs in the edi-
torial to which Mr.. McGarraghy re-
ferred read:
There are collateral demands
from the unions and there are con-
f1icting points of view on conditions
which accompanied offers from
union to management, and vice
versa, on settlement. The Star Is in
lno position to judge the merits Of
such claims. But the main issue
is wages. If that is settled, the
strike probably would end.
And when the two sides In such
an involved dispute get themselves
as thoroughly deadlocked as the
unions and hotel management are
now, there is only one sensible
course to follow. That is to arbi-
trate the wage issue. Both sides
should agree to that and 1t is man
agement's turn to make an offer.
The risk and degree of compromise
See EOTFI, STRIKE. PAGE A-5.)