The Cape weekly tribune. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1914, 1914-08-07
Decision of Managers to Ar
bitrate With 1000 Men
Prevents Strike
PRESIDENT ASKED MEN
TO DISPLAY PATRIOTISM
Federal Board of Mediation
of PlanApprOved by Employees
and Employers

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3.-Nlana-
gers of the Western railways have
accepted arbitration of the wage
dispute with their cnginemen andfremen
The decision of the railroad mana
gers was given personally to Presi-
dent Wilson today by committee
headed by A. W. Trenholm. They
gave the President letter setting out
their proposition.
Immediately after the call of the
railroad managers, the Federal Board
of Mediation was notified of the
favorable outcome. Chairman Cham
bers at once notified the representatives
of the engnemen and firemen.
At President Wilson's plea that a
strike be averted because of the sensi-
tive situation in the United States
as the result of the European war
crisis, the railroad managers visited
the White House Just before noon and
advised the President they would ac-
cept the plan proposed by the Federal
Board of Mediation, which had aleady
been passed upon favorably by the
representatives of the engineers and
firemen.
The plan provides that the question
of wages shall be arbitrated under the
Newlands act and that rules and
regulations enforced prior to October,
1913, shall be restored.
President Wilson, before the call
of the railroad men, had declared that
he believed the railroad managers
would be patriotic and that strike
would be averted. The managers
represented 9S Western railroads which
had been threatened with a strike
of $4,000 engineers and iremep.
The President had written the
railroad managers, saying.
'ln view of the worldwide condi-
tions, unparalleled in recent history,
which have arisen within the last
few days, it is obvious that the sus-
pension of business on roads serving
more than half the territory of the
United States would be Il calamity in
ca!culablc in magnitude. The situa-
tion has reached crisis which hardly
permits a full consideration of the
merits Of the controversy and |
feel that in the circumstances |
can appeal with confidence to your
patriotism and TO your regard for
the public welfare to make Whatever
sacrifice is necessary to avert ma
tioual disaster"
Tie reply Of the managers said:
Under any ordinary circumstances
We should feel that out of plain duty
to the interests committed 70 our
charge would not merely Justify
but would require us to insist upon
a plan of arbitration that would rec
ognize our right to be heard upon
claims regularly presented on our
behalf. But we also appreciate
keenly, as you have pointed out,
that an unparalleled condition has
arisen which hardly permits full
consideration of the merits of our
case, and which constrains you to
ask us to waive any decision of
merits and accept the plan of arbitra-
ton proposed by the mediators
which you feel convinced offers under
the existing circumstances the only
possible way of averting a disastrous
strike upon all the railroads of the
Western half of the United States.
"In view therefore, of the situa-
ton as you have presented it, and
of your appeal to our patriotism
and to our regard for the public
welfare, we beg to express to you
herewith our acceptance of the plan
of arbitration proposed"