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Show WILSON WILL ( I TRY TO AVERT I BIGJTRIKE 1 1 Asks For Conference With Railroad J 1 Employees Representa- 1 I tlves Ifll '111 New York Aug. 13. A general ifBl strike on nearly nil of tho railroads ' III cf the nation, paralyzing commerce !$ll and throwing approximately 2,000,000 111 men out of employment, can bo avert- Hi ed only through the good offices of HI President Wilson as a result of to- MM day's developments In tho dispute II over tho men's demands for an eight SLV hour day and time and a half for HI overtime. HI Tho controversy was laid before tho HI President , at his Invitation, after tho HI workers had flatly rejected any form HI of arbitration. They refused media- 9 tlon yesterday. 'iHl Soon after accepting the President's Hi summons, extended through the fed- I HI eral board of mediation and concilia- HI tlon, the men announced that tho lead 'Hi ers of tho four railroad botherhoods 'Hi would leave for Washington nt mid- H I night, accompanied by thirty of tho HI COO delegates nisembled here. 'HI An hour later tho railroad managers I HI nineteen In number, said that titer H would leave for the capital at the rfll same time, Hi I Both parties will reach Washington -HI tomorrow In time for an early confer- IHJ1 ence with the President. Tho hour HI for the meeting will bo arrangod by 11 1 Secretary Tumulty, who started forj IHl 1 ttls city from Washington lato today LfVI 'as Mr. Wilson's representative arrlv- lug horo at 9 q'clock tonight. Kill I Mr. Tumulty brought with hlra a I MM communication from President Wilson . HI addressed o tho brotherhoods and tho 'HI ralroad managers pointing out that H I such n paralysis of business as would ' : Hi follow a general railroad strike wouto .Hi bo a catastrophe at any time, but , WM would be nothing short of a disaster Bj under present conditions. On this 'HI ground tho President based his re- HI quest for a conference with represent , 'Hi atlves of both factions. II Negotiations Broken Off 'HI Negotiations had not been broken 1 Ih1 oft when Mr. Tumulty left Washing- HI ton, but when lie reached Phlladel- Mil phla he received a telegram from W. Ml L. Chambers, one of the mediators, In- iffill forming him the men had declined to 111 arbitrate. Mr. Tumulty's first stop fill after reaching New York was to call vll President Wilson on the long distance I flfcl telephone to decide upon an hour for 'jHJ tho fateful conference at the Whlto Hfl Houso tomorrow. jHJ The final break camo lato today at- HH ter the men had been In secret session HJ nearly six hours. Reports 'differ as HH to tho reason tor the failuro of tlio HH negotiations in view of the cheerful HH outlook of the night boforo. Tho men HH assert they refused arbitration be- jH cause tho railroads Insisted on arblt- HH rating their contingent proposition. 'HH The board of mediators in a statemet ;HH Issued tonight declared however, tho ,inen rejected their proposition, con- HH 'lending that they would not arbitrate even If tho railroads, waived tho con- tlngent proposition. The statement ?HH of the mediators, issued by Judge HH Martin A. Knapp, chairman of the board, Just boforo their departuro for HH Washington, follows. :HH "After repeated efforts to bring about an arbitration of tho pending controversy between tho railroads HJ and their employees in train and yard HH sorvlce, the United States board of . mediation and conciliation was today advised by tho representatives of tho employees that they would not submit Mm the matters In dlsputo to arbitration jHB In any form. iHH |
