Show W WORKERS FM fIRt f fRANI FOR FORAT RANI AT OF f DEMANDS No Power on Earth but hat Settlement Can Sto Stop Strike Says W. W G. G Lee Trainmen's President F Four our He Heads ds of Say They Are Without Power t to Act Unless Ed Edict ct Is Accepted Accept Senate Sena te Committee Will Take Take Up Legislation tomorrow g Both Sides to Attend CHICAGO Aug 30 Railroad Railroad brotherhoods brotherhoods brotherhoods broth broth- will make an effort to adjust their differences with the companies separately in a series of confere conferences cea with the heads of each system before a astrike astrike astrike strike is declared according to members of the Rock Island committee an or organization organization organization or- or of of the Chicago Rock Island Pacific A large number of the railroad presidents presidents dents who have been In tn Washington discussing the strike problem with President Wilson arrived in Chicago to today today today to- to day for an important conference The conference will be held tomorrow to lay plans based on the assumption that a strike will be called Septem Septem- September ber 4 t The presidents made the tho trip from Irom Washington to Chicago on a special train Those in the party included d E. E I P. P Ripley president of the Atchison Topeka Santa Fe A. A J. J Earling Earlin president of the Chicano Chicane Milwaukee St. St Paul Louis W. W Hill HiI Hill president of the Great Northern R. R H. H Ashton president of the Chicago Northwestern Northwest Northwest- em ern A. A H. H Curry president of the Monon Motion Mo Mo- non tion and W. W A. A Baird president of the tha Chicago Alton We Ie have no reason to believe other oUter wise than that the brotherhoods wilt make good their threat to strike on Labor day said Mr Ashton Mr Ripley representing himself and the others made a statement to th the public warning prospective travelers that delays might be expected and noti shippers of the freight embargo It will be the purpose of the company com corn pany says the statement so far as ss it is in its power to provide transportation transports transports- tion necessary for the health and sub of tho the communities dependent upon it to move at least one train each way daily for the transportation of passengers mail and express V WASHINGTON ASHINGTON Aug 30 Brotherhood heads insisted aft after aft afta r ra a conference with Secretary Wilson Wil son today that they they- had not been bee requested by President Wilson oj j jany any other administration official t to ti postpone the tho strike and that ing except a a satisfactory settlement of their demands demands' could prevent i walkout No power on on onearth earth except a sati saUl satis factory settlement can now v prevent a strike said V. W. G. G Lee president of the trainmen We four heads certainly could n not t obtain a postponement of the strike if It we wanted to nor could we post pone it if It we ve received messages re requesting requesting questing euch such action from every everyone one one of ot the committee of ot who were here liere last ast week President Wilson lisa not asked us to postpone the strike and he understands as w we we made madO I Ivery u It very clear clear- to him on night that we now are powerless to act un less a satisfactory settlement is 18 made A. A B. B Garretson head of th the co corf and spokesman for the tj e en err made a similar stat statement ment TALK TO CONGRESSMEN Bes Besides des conferring with Ser 1 Wilson today the I talked with several mem u gress at the capitol hood officials expect t tc with Samuel the American Continued on I MEN REFUSE Continued from page 1 lid id that Mr Gompers had made made empt tempt to induce the brotherto brother- brother Ito to postpone the strike and it Jot ot of thought that he would E officials who expressed lence ence last night that enactment Wilsons Wilson's program into buld not prevent the strike ap- ap today to be less confident port has gone out to the effect resident Wilson was making ef- ef v shave the railroad bro brotherhoods 1 f fe fr or postpone the strike order le e September 4 4 It was reported less action was taken by the hoods hoods' hoods hoods' leaders in the near fue fu- fu e president may publicly ask workers that the strike be e rescinded I EN EN N IN CONFERENCE officials after securing of f the proposed bills hills affecting Inroad situation went into conat conat conat con- con at the department of labor with b ry of Labor Wilson It was fed led ed they intended to consider the aL K ed legislation as it affected them I it with the secretary of S nate interstate commerce com J adopted a resolution today pro- pro for a hearing on proposed rail rail- J legislation J in the pending crisis j. j Thursday at 9 a. a m. m Rail Rail- brotherhood officers and andO of shippers were Into ino into in- in to o appear side will be given three hours Jeh Ich ch to discuss their views of O Lion Ion proposed by President ViiI Wil- Wil I prevent prO ide the threatened strike for operation of trains event of a strike EE E BILLS CONSIDERED Committee has under drafts of three bills One Ithe the proposed eight hour day eating a wage commission of F ers two to be recommended I 1 vey velY by the railroads and the J which shall shaU observe the and financial effects of of the eight hour day if the Newlands act to v f r arbitration I elof f on more effective along CanadIan Principles The Provides for fol government opera- opera 1 ly railroads for for fOJ military Immediate necessity action J solution M to provide Provid for indifferences in- in ion top of an 1 differences between the thea i land slon and a strike pend- pend to be 1 unlawful was cony con- con by y the senate r Inter interstate tate com com- late today but no was reached Cached native suggestion was for enactment of the provisions for tor an eight hour day and an Investigation tion of its effect on railroad revenues and rates with an early report to congress congress con- con gress eress other more drastic and complicated complicated legislation to be considered considered later Reaching no decision the committee adjourned until tomorrow for an all allday allday allday day hearing on legislative proposals Congress went to work under pressure pressure pressure press press- ure today to prevent by legislation the railway strike called for next Monday It was not assured that even if measures proposed by President Wilson in his address to congress yesterday can be passed In the five days remaining remaining remaining remain remain- ing they will be effective in forestalling forestall forestall- ing the walkout MEN AGAINST PROGRAM In general brotherhood leaders Intended in intended intended In- In tended to fight the legislative program m and railway managements expected to support it it but both sides laid plans for the strike as if it its comi coming g were beyond all doubt President Wilson Ilson still hoped the brotherhood leaders now in Washington Washing Washing- ton would find means of rescinding the strike order which they maintain has gone beyond their jurisdiction There was no unanimity of opinion among them as to whether the suggested measure to forbid a strike pending in investigation investigation in- in by a public commission if I passed and made effective before next Monday could apply validly to the the present situation Hallway executives believed however that the legislation advocated would force a suspension of action possibly only by the pressure of public opinion While government machinery was humming today with strike plans there poured in from all sections of the country country country coun coun- try reports that railroads were declaring declaring declaring ing embargoes on p perishable stuff re refusing refusing refusing re- re fusing to accept freight with guarantee of ot prompt delivery and warning against passenger travel extending past 7 a a. m. m Monday the hour set for the strike These reports gave a hint of the rigors which might be expected from a general general general gen gen- eral strike PLAN ANOTHER MEETING As a sequel to the conference in Speaker Clarks Clark's office at the capitol last night between the president and congressional leaders of ot both parties these leaders planned another meeting for early today to map out a course Arrangements also were made for a meeting of the senate Interstate commerce commerce commerce com com- merce committee for It was In the upper house that strike legislation was to be threshed out first Members of congress werl not fully fullY agreed on methods but they were represented represented represented rep rep- resented as in entire accord with the purchase to prevent in some way the threatened Some measures to tobe tobe tobe be agreed on probably will be attached to the bill pending in the senate to in increase increase increase in- in crease membership of the interstate commerce commission from seven to to nine The hour eight-hour day law for Interstate interstate interstate inter inter- I state railroad traffic suggested by the president Is not entirely agreeable to the brotherhood for they want with the hour eight-hour day ten hours' hours pay and congress has no no authority to prescribe wages The expect the principal principal principal prin prin- cipal light against this to be made by the railroads however The proposal for investigation by a president commission is welcomed by the railroads but not by the menThe men The sug suggestion that congress em- em emI I power the interstate commerce commis lion don to grant higher rates as recompense recompense pense for tor increased wages is frowned upon by the railroads on the belief that shippers would object and the good willot will of ot these interests would be lost The most violent objection of the brotherhoods is to the proposed law for Investigation of future labor disputes I and the prohibition of ot strikes or lockouts lockouts lock lock- outs during the investigation Railroad I executives favor this measure Many legislators believe the presidents president's dents dent's recommendation of ot a law authorIzing authorizing author author- izing forced governmental operation of ot certain roads for military reasons is superfluous they insist that the other action contemplated will forestall the strike of itself |