Show t. t v 3 01 fi Q a r rA A t I 1 m un D A y OB R TE U UP R ROADS AD ADI I i I I 3 fl FAL Al W RD Of f Y Unqualified Concession of Demand or Congressional Action Are Only Possible Means to j M Stop Nation Nation- Wide Nation Wide W Walkout 1 WASHINGTON Aug 26 Just Just before President Wilson went to the capitol today the brotherhood leaders impatient at the tie delay of f the railroad executives in replying to to the presidents president's last proposal declared that only onty the unqualified concession of the eight eight- hour day or some action by congress to cause the government to operate the railroads ads could prevent the threatened strike On all hands the presidents president's visit to the capitol was taken as indicating that the situation situa situation tion had reached a crisis f y t t pr d nt conferred g with Democratic Leader Kern and nd Chairman N Newlands of f the senate c commerce committee who it was understood after a canvass canvass of the congressional situation had concluded it was feasible to get through congress before adjournment as an amendment to the pending bill bilI to increase the membership of the interstate commerce commission some sort of an expression that the railways should be authorized to make rate increases to meet higher wages and to provide some sort of machinery maI machinery ma ma- chinery for arbitration for similar disputes in the future possibly along the lines of the I Canadian commission When he finished conferring with Senators Kern and Newlands President Wilson came to the door of his room and said to inquirers to-inquirers v I came here on certain matters of legislation That is all all all' I can say now Then after making the foregoing announcement President Wilson Vilson returned to the White House without conferring with anyone else and without making any further explanation of his visit Senator Newlands stated positively that no joint session of congress had been arranged Late this afternoon the railroad executives adjourned without having finished their statement to President Wilson and their attitude was announced as unchanged Later it was learned at the capitol that the president told the senators the railroad railroad executives had put it up to him to get some guarantee from congress that they should be permitted to get more revenue to meet the increase in wages It was said no means of accomplishing that end was agreed upon WASHINGTON Aug 26 The threatened railway strike situation situation situation sit sit- took on added today to to- to day as the railway executives continued their deliberations over the form of their counter proposal to President Wilsons Wilson's plan and the brotherhood leaders silently awaited the next move The executives have been told that the mens men's leaders leaders O difficulty in restraining f after tonight The presidents w w- steadily all nil morning phrasing statement to President WIls shortly after noon had taken vote on it As has been outlined 5 declines to concede the S- S without arbitration and ini in inn innot fl of ot its Us application to makes some concessions as asi eral erns issues L. L The effect of the Uie executives executives' proposal will be bo to pass the issue aCK 1 R to the brotherhoods s. s FINAL PROPOSITION Somo of oC the tho railway executives say their proposition is positively their last some of ot the ilie mens men's leaders stand firmly against arbitration Others on both sides have hopes that nut out of ot It all will will come como further negotiation de laying a and possibly averting it A statement issued by the federal board of mediation today on tho the settlements set set- it had conducted was re regarded re- re as significant It described a a report about to be made to the senate which will disclose that in every case of settlements conducted under the theold theold theold old Erdman act or the later Newlands law lav substantial advantages have havo been beer won by the through arbi arbitration ra tion The only instance recorded recorded where the men did not benefit was benefit was a settlement made mado without the pation of ot the federal mediators President Wilson regards the situ tion lion as serious but has not given give hope of a settlement The railroad presidents center conter arbitration on the ground th th- hour eight basic day sought bj by b brotherhoods is actually a Continued on pages n a ISSUE Continued from page 1 of wages rather than of working hours and consequently is properly subject to arbitration BACK PAYMENTS INSURED Further they propose that if the arbitrating board which might be the interstate commerce commission or orsome orsome orsome some other public body to be created finds wage increases should be granted grant grant- ed the order would be considered effective effective ef ef- ef from the time arbitration begins begins be be- 1 gins and a fund would be established by the railroads to insure such back payments The would be bound not to make further demands nor to strike pending the tion This answer of the railroad executives executives tives would amount to a partial rejection rejection mice mice- tion of or President Wilsons Wilson's compromise plan whereby the railroads were to concede the hour eight day and all other questions in dispute were to be arbitrated Brotherhood leaders had received no official advices regarding the railroad presidents' presidents proposition when the regular regular regular regu regu- lar daily meeting of the committee committee com corn convened The workmen's committe committee committee com com- mitte planned to remain in continuous session until they heard from President President President dent Wilson who had promised them some word by noon The four brotherhood brotherhood brotherhood brother brother- hood heads went wel Into secret session early this morning to consider the Unofficial unofficial unofficial un un- official report pf the railroads railroads' position which they had obtained from pers pets They had received no word from the White House and did not expect to confer with the president they said until after he had received a delegation from the railroad executives Opinions Divided Opinion was wal id di divided d among the em era- as to how the railroads' railroads proposal would be received None of them thought that it would be accepted without without with with- without out qualification and a large number of them declared that If the railroads continued to insist upon arbitration a astrike astrike astrike strike Inevitably would follow Many lany of the men still were desirous of leavIng leaving leav leav- ing tog for their homes tonight and had made every preparation to do so The railroad executives went into session at 10 o'clock to taKe tae final action on the proposal they will submit to President Wilson Since the executive determined upon the nature of their proposal and drafted their reply last night the committee of ot eight has gone over and smoothed down the wording of the letter to the president CHICAGO Aug 26 Manufacturers Manufacturers' associations of Michigan Indiana and Nebraska already alread have accepted invitations invitations Invitations to meet in Chicago next Tuesday I for a demonstration against acceptance by the railroads of anything less than full arbitration of the matters at issue in the threatened railroad strike it was I learned today The Invitations were sent out by the Illinois Manufacturers' Manufacturers association President Hastings of the Illinois association said today he will 1 work for appointment of a a. to I wait on President Wilson personally in inan inan inan an effort to change his policy toward the strike PORTLAND Ore Aug 26 The The West Coast Lumbermen's association by resolutions made public today has gone on record as opposed to an In Increase increase increase in- in crease In freight rates as a means of settling the threatening railroad strike President Wilson was advised by telegram telegram tele tele- gram grain of the action taken An Increase of rates the lumbermen pointed out would be ruinous to the Pacific coast lumber business which has been fighting for decreased rates for some time The resolutions urged that the railroad heads adhere strictly to the principle of arbitration The resolutions were addressed to the committee of railroad presidents of the country Thorpe secretary of the as association association association as- as announced the lumbermen ol or orthe the country would be asked to raise to keep six experts In foreign fields to build up the American lumber markets This is In accordance with action taken at the recent foreign trade conference in Chicago The threatened strike it was re reported reported tO- tO ported had held up shipments of lumber lumber lum lum- ber bet and tended to cause a a. cessation In trade |