Show ISIS IN INy y 1 5 HIKE IS S I. I ILL liL o ON nai l n Confers With fe s dent and Mana- Mana rr s. s of Roads on His t 6 of Settlement j 1 PLAYED II Sides Make Bids J Support of Public orators gyrators Ask Otherl Other l for H Help lp HINGTON Aug 19 over the threatened strike continues and there j JJ Ina passed assed for several days dent ent Wilson conferred conferred- again ri i the the railroad presidents and ommittee of managers to hear to his proposal that they the hour eight day and arbi- arbi h he other other issues n bours hours hour's conference the railroad presidents left I e House without giving any anyn Jon n that they had abandoned hand nd for arbitration but with Js cos s that the negotiations were vera ded ed railroad executives executivE's gave no e to the presidents president's pro pro- Jut but will deliberate on on them them to to- d nee see President Wilson Vilson again T Monda Monday I L s Responsibility S 15 address to the thc officials ilson said strike comes the public will where liere the responsibility rests not be on me e President Wilson Vilson was con con- with the executives he made madea a 30 statement outlining his plan committee of ot voted to accept President Presidents s s plan and thereby put the up to the railroads had ane an- an meeting e ing today to talk things 1 t Public Support of the maneuvering of both Jor or or a position n which will enjoy It of public opinion come evidences that each is working anize public sentiment in its nd ind make it manifest in a ay y ras as as understood today that the theIda Ida ds are turning to other large fers ers of Jabor throughout theto the thelt they y lt to express ss their support of of the principle of as a settlement of indus indus- while President Wilson Vilson le are drawing su sup sup- rom large manufacturing and interests rests vitally interested in dg i g. g the tho railroads open for busi- busi hind ind from those who want to for the hour eight tried a long step forward eithe e el the railroad presidents were ference with President Wilson ithe president gave out a state state- 1 his plan of settlement Vying ying seems ems to m me a thoroughly and entirely fair program and Continued on nags naga 2 2 I I I i II I CRISIS IN RAILROAD Continued from page 1 I think the public has the right to expect its acceptance President Wilsons Wilson's statement follows follows follows fol fol- fol- fol lows I have recommended the concession concession concession conces conces- sion of the hour eight-hour day that day that is the substitution of an hour eight day for the present ten-hour ten day in all the existing practices and agreements I Imade Imade Imade made this recommendation because I believe the concession right The hour eight-hour day now undoubtedly has the sanction of the Judgment of society society so In its favor and should be adopted as a basis for wages even where the actual work to be done cannot cannot cannot can can- not be completed within eight hours Difference in Opinions Concerning the adjustments which should be made in Justice to the railroads railroads rail ran roads and their stockholders In the payments and privileges to which their men are now entitled if such adjustments are necessary there Isa is isa isa a wide divergence of opinion The railroads which have already adopted the hour eight-hour day do not seem to be at any serious disadvantage disadvantage tage In respect of their cost of operation operation operation op op- op- op as compared with the railroads railroads railroads rail rail- roads that have retained the ten-hour ten day and calculations as to the cost of the change must if made now be made without regard to any possible administrative economies or readjust readjust- ments meats Only experience can make It certain certain tam tain what rearrangements would be fair and equitable either on behalf of the men or on behalf of the railroads rail rail- roads That experience would be a definite guide to the interstate commerce commerce com com- merce commission for example in determining determining de de- de- de whether as a consequence of the change it would be necessary and right to authorize an increase of rates for tor the handling and carriage of freight freight for for passenger service is not affected Postpone Demands t I therefore proposed that the demand demand demand de de- de- de mand for extra pay for overtime made by the men wen and the contingent proposals proposals proposals pro pro- of the railroad authorities be postponed until facts shall have taken the place of calculations and forecast forecast fore fore- cast with regard to the effects of a change to the hour eight day that in the meantime while experience was developing the facts I should seek and If need be obtain authority from congress to appoint a small body of impartial men to observe and thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- acquaint themselves with the results with a view to reporting to congress at the earliest possible time the facts disclosed by their inquiries but without recommendation of any kind and that it should then thea be entirely entirely en en- open to either or both parties to the present controversy to give notice of a termination of the present present pres pres- ent eat agreements with a view to instituting instituting instituting i inquiry into suggested readjustments read of pay or practice This seems to be a thoroughly practical and entirely fair program and I think that th the public has the the right to expect its acceptance Negotiations Not Ended All An the railroad presidents said the I question was not closed and that the negotiations would be continued I President Ht of the Burlington I spokesman for the officials said no notime notime notime time had been set for them to see President Wilson again but that it was necessary to confer with the com coin of ot managers which has the authority to accept or reject plans Several of the executives indicated disappointment over President Wilsons Wilson's Wilsons Wilson's Wilsons Wil Wil- sons son's statement but showed particular lar interest in his mention of the possibility possibility pos pos- of the Interstate commerce commission considering an increase in freight rates i In his talk to the executives today President Wilson told them they were facing a condition not a principle He asked why they should demand arbi when there was no law for tor compulsory arbitration and he knew It to be Impossible to get a compulsory compulsory sory arbitration law through congress The he recalled had consistently consistently con con- refused arbitration and he believed it was impossible to gain it in the present controversy I have been asked to sit as a Judge said the president in sub sub- stance I cannot do that I simply can suggest a plan a way in Ia which I believe this question can be settled fairly to all sides Urges Acceptance President Wilson urged again that the railroads accept the plan adopt the hour eight day at least temporarily temporarily tem tern and then allow the proposed commission to fully investigate the facts He pointed out that the railroads rail rail- roads brought forward one set of statements state state- ments meats and the another and it was impossible for him to tell which I was correct In Jn conclusion President Wilson VIlson said he believed his plan was the only equitable way of settling the controversy controversy contro contro- versy and that under It both sides would be treated fairly Mr Hf Holden den gave save the president estimates estimates esti esti- mates of the cost of the hour eight-hour day to the railroads s. s President Wilson in reply urged that the railroad officials daIs with the committee of man agers very carefully consider his plan before Defore giving any final answer was That agreed to by the railroad ex ex- It wasl wasi earned definitely that In their acceptance of President Wilsons Wilson's Wil Wil- son sons son's s plan the made no res res- One of the railroad presidents said I i after the conference that he did not consider the situation hopeless but that it was very serious President Wilson he said had asked for a showdown and that their railroad officers would give a final answer as soon as possible The belief was current in administration administration adminis adminis- circles that the tle railroads would make some concessions Wires Western Officials After the conference President Wilson Wil Wll- son telegraphed to a number of presidents presidents dents of Western Vestern roads inviting them to come to Washington Washing President Wll Wilson declared he lie was the spokesman for people every everyone one of whom had a deep interest interest Inter inter- est in the present situation Ills His ob object he lie said was to avoid only a strike with its conse consequent disaster Caster tion Uon to the naAs na- na As the president spoke to the daIs he paced Lr L up and down them In the blue room Several before times Sl he emphasized points enS with witha a clenched fist He spoke solemnly paused and faced and hi often 5 them as an he lie i asked that they accept his plan Pan The railroad i j officials I and Mr Holden were equally toll told the dent they realized the president the situation of We Ve must face the naked tm truth i i in ln this crisis said the president We must not discuss impractical H i things We must get down to down a basis j on which the situation can be solved As yet President Wilson has not mentioned the possibility of govern govern- I ment meat ownership of the railroads in case of a strike which officials and those who have conferred with him I assert He is said to be determined however not to accept from the railway rail rail- way presidents a final rejection of I some plan which might be made the basis of or an agreement |