A bitter battle between a group of Butler County merchant mariners and a committee that raised a monument to World War II veterans -- a battle that has raged longer than the war itself -- could be heading toward a grudging cease-fire.

Both sides in the argument have agreed to cooperate with a mediator, who took hours of testimony Monday about the dispute.

George T. Force, of Grove City, a retired Slippery Rock University political science professor, said he will have a recommendation within a month.

He also anticipates that whatever he recommends -- and he's not giving hints -- will be met with outcry.

"I don't think I quite realized when I agreed to do this the extent of the dispute and how bitter it is," Mr. Force said Tuesday, following a day long session of testimony from mariners, committee members and interested parties.

At the center of the nine-year dispute is a World War II monument in Diamond Park across the street from the Butler County Courthouse in downtown Butler. The monument was funded by $450,000 that was raised by the committee. Mariners take exception to the lack of prominence of a plaque that mentions the Merchant Marine. On the front of the monument, veterans from the Army, Army Air Corps, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard are honored. The Merchant Marine is mentioned along with 27 other groups on the back of the monument.

The sessions Monday at the Community College of Butler County were divided into segments for each of three groups. About 10 people attended the session for the mariners, with participants from the Butler community and New Castle. About 16 attended the session for the public. Another five attended the one for committee members.

Essentially, the mariners contend their service during World War II was equal to the service of the military branches so they should be recognized on the front of the monument. The World War II committee members counter that the mariners were not military veterans so they shouldn't be on the front of the memorial. Merchant mariners were given veteran status administratively through federal legislation during the 1980s.

During the session for the general public, most speakers supported the World War II committee's decision about plaque placement.

The disagreement between the sides has been particularly acrimonious. They even argue over the national World War II monument in Washington, D.C. Though the Merchant Marine is mentioned on the front of that monument, some committee members argue that the mention is on a section of the monument that is not integral to the monument itself and therefore doesn't amount to equal billing.

Mr. Force said the past precedent with the national monument is worthy of further investigation but will not necessarily set the course for his decision.

"It does matter to a certain extent. It provides a context, both for monuments and for World War II. How important ... is both questionable and debatable," he said.

He said he will give his finished report to the Butler County commissioners as soon as possible.

Butler County Solicitor Julie Graham said the county facilitated the appointment of an independent arbitrator in an effort to see the issue resolved. The mariners launched an unsuccessful legal action in 2008 to force the commissioners to change the monument on the argument that the monument is actually owned by the county because it sits on county property.

Ms. Graham said the county has pledged to support Mr. Force's recommendation, regardless of what it is. Whether that support matters will remain to be seen.

One of the leaders of the World War II committee said he does not think the committee will agree to change the monument, regardless of Mr. Force's decision. "I just don't see that happening," said county Veterans Affairs Director John Cyprian, whose role on the committee is unrelated to his county employment.

Mr. Force, who agreed to arbitrate the matter, is doing so for free and as a public service.

"I think both sides need to get on with their lives and if this report helps them to do that, even though there will be winners and losers and I'm sure some very angry people, then everyone will be better off," he said.