Arizona republican., 1916-08-28
JOINT SESSION
 MAY HEAR PLEA
 FROM WILSON
rRepubllcan A. p. Leased Wire1


 WASHINGTON, August 27.-Tenta- tive plans for a joint session of the senate and house to hear President Wilson ask for legislation to prevent the threatened nation wide railroad strike were discussed by the president with Senator Kern, the democratic leader, tonight. when it seemed vlr- tually certain that a break between the railroads and their men must fol- low final conferences at the White House tomorrow.
 Possibilities of legislation were talked over by the president with Sen ator Newlands, chairman of the inter state commerce committee, and Secre- tary- Lane, and tonight the president made a quiet trip to the senate office building to find Senator Kern attend ing meeting of the finance commit tee The belief that negotiations be- tween the railroad presidents and the men would end without agreement was strong tonight.
 Whether the plans considered by President Wilson and his advisers at the capitol will be carried out depends upon tomorrow's developments, but it is understood that if all efforts fail to bring the employers and their men to- gether the president will go before con gress and ask that it deal with the sit uation even if that necessitates indef initely prolonging the present session Representatives of both the rail- roads and the brotherhoods will confer with the president tomorrow The ex- ecutives of the lines will present the plan, the outstanding feature of which is a demand for arbitration of wages under the eight-hour day or any day. There was reporr tonight that the 1 president might ask the men to post pone action for period in order that | he might seek legislation which would force and provide for a settlement without tying up the country's trans ! portation systems.
 i Secretary Lane and Senator New lands worked until late tonight fram- | ing bills for presentation to congress. 1 Other legislation under considera- tion includes the following: An eight-hour day law for railroad employees.
 l A bill increasing the membership of | the interstate commerce commission from ' to 9 with authority to divide l into groups.
 A resolution stating it to be the sense of congress that if the railroads i grant basic eight-hour day they
  | commensurate with the increased op- | erating expenses.
 A bill, already pending, directs the interstate commerce commission to as certain minimum. maximum and aver | age wages paid with hours of service | to every class of railroad employe to compare them with wages of other in dustries in which such skill and risk are involved to ascertain the relation of railroad wages to railroad revenues | and urges both sides to the present dispute to defer action pending the in- veStigatiOn.
 At today's conference consideration was given to the problem of keeping the railroads in operation in the event of strike and how far congress should go in extending federal authority over the railroads.
 There were no conferences nor meet ings of the committee of eight Among the presidents and managers here the opinion prevails that the proposal ot the men would not be acceptable tC them and there was no concealment oi the feeling that if President Wilson has no other suggestion to make. z strike is coming. The railroad execu. tives declare that a strike cannot las long and that their precautions vii insure the running of all necessary trains.
 Democratic senators who ohanced tt be in conference at the capitol on tn, revenue bill tonight when the presiden unexpectedly appeared there il search of Senator Kern were gravel, concerned over the prospects and al conceded that the crisis probabl, would prolong the session of congress
 When the president reached tn capitol he asked a policeman at tn , door to direct him to the finance com mittee room. The officer announces the presidents arrival and Senate l Kern hastily left the room. For sev eral minutes he talked with the pres ! dent in the hall. but later they walked | upstairs to the presidents room Tn g president did not consult other demo l cratic leaders.
 q cannot discuss the subject of tn s presidents visit" said Senator Kerr | further than to say that it concerne
 the railroad situation. The affair
 (Continued on Page Two)