| OCR Text |
Show I i Railroad Presidents and High Officials I I r- Are Summoned to the White' House I PRESIDENT OUTLINES PLAN OF I SETTLEMENT TO BROTHERHOODS I Eight-Hour Day With Creation of Commission by Congress and the President to Investigate Working Out of the Eight-Hour Day and Collateral Issues Men Retire to Vote and Will Send Result to Wilson President Explains His Plan in Detail and Urges Its Acceptance for the Good of the Country. Washington, Aug. 17. President Wilson today outlined to the general committee of railroad employes his plan for settlement of the threatened general strike based on acceptance of i an eight-hour working day and creation crea-tion of a commission by congress and the president to investigate the working work-ing of the eight-hour day and collateral collat-eral issues. Administration officials were unable un-able to determine by the attitude of the men as they heard the plan whether they would accept it, but there was a general expectation that at least Its principle would be agreed to. The same plan will be presented io the presidents of the railroads tomorrow. to-morrow. Under the president's plan the double dou-ble compensation propostion would be eliminated. The eight-hour day would carry ten hours pay as the present rate. "The president's propositions," said one of tho brotherhood leaders, "is far and square and the men would be fools not to accept it." It was understood that under the president's plan, the eight-hour day would go Into effect pending the outcome out-come of the investigation. The commission com-mission would be a small one, practically practic-ally composed of three members and would have authority to summon witnesses wit-nesses and determine all of the facts -on--the.-costtO'-thej.raiIroadsHrOf the eight-hour day. After leaving the White House the men went to their hall to discuss ,the proposal and take a vote on it. It was said they probably would reach a decision tonight and that the president presi-dent would have it in his hands when he meets the railroad presidents tomorrow. Men March to White House. The 640 Brotherhood men held a secret meeting today, lasting a little more than an hour, then marched in a body to tho White House. The day was hot and the men, many of them stripping orf their coats, took the shady side of Pennsylvania avenue. They made quite a column as they marched along to the treasury building, build-ing, where they assembled in a military mili-tary order and then proceeded to tho White House, where they went to the East Room. They planned to meet again soon after seeing tho president. presi-dent. Just at 4 o'clock the brotherhood representatives finished their conference confer-ence with the president and went to their hall to vote on tho president's plan. The employes heard the presidents plan without demonstration and said they would send word to the White House as soon as possible as to their decision. After the meeting A. B. Garretson refused to comment and declared the decision of the men would be given out at the White House if at all. The president did most of the talking talk-ing at the meeting, explaining his plan In detail and urging that it be accepted for the good of the country. Afterward Mr. Garretson and W. S. Stone of the engineers, spoke briefly.' , At the conclusion of the discussion all of the men formed in line and shook hands with the president before be-fore leaving. Will Call Owners. In case President Wilson finds that any of the railroad presidents cannot speak absolutely for their roads, ho may invite to the White House the financiers who control them. Officials said today that the president wants to deal with the "ultimate authority" on both sides, in order that negotia tions may bo considered here. The feeling prevailed that the attitude atti-tude of the railroad heads was now the same as tho managers' committee. commit-tee. The railroad presidents are expected ex-pected to mako a strong plea for pre ervation of tho principle of arbitration arbitra-tion and will express their fear that if the present difficulty cannot be settled without it, there is little . hdpe of its being successful In the future. fu-ture. Another indication of the delicacA of tho situation was seen In the de-' clslon at the White House not to make public the president's remarks to the men, at this time at 'least. It was first intended to publish tho president's statement nnd then his statement to the managers, thus laying lay-ing the case before the high court of public opinion. Judge Chambers Meets Leaders. Judge Chambers of the federal board of mediation and conciliation held a brief conference with the brotherhood broth-erhood heads this morning. Further than to say he had one question on which he wanted a definite answer and that he got it, the conferees would not dlscusB tho nature of hiB visit Mr. Chambers went to tho Whito House immediately upon leaving the brotherhood officials, "I should not like to say that the situation still Is hopeful," A. B. Gar-retson, Gar-retson, spokesman for the employes, said after Mr. Chambers had left. "Hopeful is hardly the word that I should use. I would say. though, that I deem a settlement still possible." Wilson Calls President. Washington, Aug. 17. President Wilson today Invited the presidents of the principal railroads of the coun- IH try to" come to Washington immedi-ately immedi-ately to confer with him on tho threatened railroad strike. Pending their arrival he does not plan, to see the committee members here with whom he has been meeting. The president sent the following telegram to the leading railroad presl volved in the threatened railroad strike has reached a point which makes it highly desirable that I should personally confer with you at the earliest possible moment, and with the presidents of any other railways affected, who may be immediately accessible. Hope you can make it convenient 1o come to Washington at once." . President Wilson's invitation was sent to the following railroad presi-dentsi- - .B ''- Daniel-Willard, Baltlnfore andOHIb--f,&f:5M railroad; Samuel Rea, Pennsj'lvania; Fairfax Harrison, Southern Railway: Samuel N. Feallon, Chicago and Northwestern; George W. Stevens, Chesapeake and Ohio; William Sproule. Southern Pacific; E. E. Cal-vln, Cal-vln, Union Pacific; L. F. Lo-ree, Lo-ree, Delaware and Hudson; W. J. Harahan. Seaboard Air 1 Line; Howard Elliott, New Haven; B. F. Bush, Missouri Pacific; A. H. Smith; New York Central; F. D. Un-derwood, Un-derwood, Erie, and William H, Trues-dale, Trues-dale, Lackawanna. Managers Refuse Eight-Hour Day. The president's action In asking for the conference with the railroads coin-mittee coin-mittee had refused finally to concede the eight-hour day as the president's plan proposed, and the question now Is to be taken up with the heads of the railroads themselves. The situation as it stood this morn-Ing morn-Ing was this: The railroads flatly refuse to concede the eight-hour day, but are willing to arbitrate that ques-tion ques-tion and all others before any trl-bunal trl-bunal the president may decide upon. The men are willing to arbitrate some questions under certain condl-tlons condl-tlons and are unwilling to arbitrate others. President to Present Plan. This afternoon at 3 o'clock the presl-dent presl-dent will present his plan to the full committee of railroad employes in tho hope of getting them to approve It The result will be presented to the Early this morning Secretary Tu-multy Tu-multy telephoned to Samuel Wlllard, secretary of the Brotherhood of En- jH glneors. asking him to come to tho White House, and Mr. Willard said ho would do everything possible to ar-rango ar-rango a conference. Railroad Presidents Accept. New York, Aug. 17 The railroad presidents of the country have ac-cepted ac-cepted President Wilson's invitation to visit and confer with him in Wash-Ington Wash-Ington on the railroad strike sltua-tlon. sltua-tlon. A number will leave this city for the national capital at 4 p. m. this afternoon and another delegation win leave from Chicago. Those who will leave for New York A H. Smith, president of the New York Central; Frank Trumbull, chair- man of the Chesapeake & Ohio; Ben- IH jamin F. Bush, receiver of the Mis- couri-Pacific; Hall Holden, president of the Chicago, Burlington & Qunicy; W. W. Atterbury, vice president of the Pennsylvania; W. J. Harahan, jH president of the Seaboard Air Line; W. H. Truesdale, president of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Missouri L. F. Loreem, president of the Dela- ware & Hudson; E, J. Pearson, vice president, of the New York, New Hav- en & Hartford; George W. Stevens, jH president of tho Chesapeake & Ohio; -H LFt. S. Lovett, chairman of the Union Pacific; Julius Kruttschnltt, chair- flian of the Southern Pacific, and F. lb. Underwood, president of the Erie. JDanlol Willard, president of the Boston & Ohio, who has been often JH snpkesnian for the railroad presidents oiu other occasions which have taken theV to Washington, Is understood - jH to tip on his way, H Managers Control 75 More Lines. 'H Some of the leaders of the men( who Tvere planning to meet the do- H mand of the railroad managers for arbitration, Informed President Wll- (Continued on Page. 7.) RAILROAD MEN CALLED 10 THE WHITE HOUSE (Continued from Page 1.) E son that 75 more lines, for which managers contend they have no au- i thority to speak, shall be Included In the negotiations. I In that way an old dispute be- I tween the managers and the brother- hood officials would be opened and j probably result in an inquiry into the ownership and control of the 75 $ roads in question. J Investigation will prove, the rep- 1 resentatlves Insist, that the larger i railroads for which the managers are 1 acting, control the majority of the smaller lines. ffi Free Time Allowance. s Lincoln, Neb., Aug. 17. Railroads I of Nebraska have applied to the I State Railway Commission for per- Ej mission to reduce the free time al- lowance on freight cars of G.000 1 pounds or more capacity from sixty G to forty-eight hours. The need of cars especially to move wheat was said to be behind the request. Presidents prepare to Leave. Chicago, Aug. 17. Several railroad 5. presidents with headquarters in Chi-1 j-i I cago made hurried preparations today E j to leave immediately for Washington to attend railroad conferences at the 1 invitation of President "Wilson. C. H.ij Markham, president of the Illinois 1 Central; R, H. Aishton, president of 1 the Chicago & Northwestern, and H. I R. Currie, of the Mononghela, planned g to leave on early afternoon trains. |
