White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1916-08-25
STRIKE SITUATION
STILL IN DOUBT
DECISIVE DEVELOPMENTS ARE
EXPECTED WITHIN THE NEXT
FEW DAYS.
LOUIS HILL AT THE CAPITAL
Wilson Declares He Is Firm for Ar
bitration as Principle, but 1t Is
Not Applicable Now-Presi-
dent Replies to Railroads.

Not Applicable Now-Presi-
dent Replies to Railroads.
Washington, Aug. 21.-While the
negotiations took no actual forward
step yesterday, the president replied
indirectly to contentious of the road
officials that the principle Of arbi-
tration would be endangered by his
plan for putting the eight-hour basic
day into effect while a commission
investigates it's practicability and
passes upon other points at issue. In
a telegram made public at the White
House, the president declared he
holds firmly to arbitration as prin-
ciple and that his plan strengthens
rather than weakens it. He also said
that some, means must be found to
prevent the existing situation from
ever arising again.
The presidents telegram defending
his plan was in reply to an appeal
from George Pope, president of the
National Association of Manufacture
ers, urging that the principle of arbi-
tration be preserved in the strike ne
gotiations. Mr.. Popes telegram fol-
lows:
Hartford, Conn.,, Aug. 18, 1916.
"The President, the White House:
On behalf of 300 manufacturing or
CARNATIONS employing 100000 per-
sons, and utterly dependent upon un-
interrupted railroad service for their
continued operation, beg at once
to express our deep appreciation of
your efforts to prevent the threat
ened destructive stoppage of national
railroad service, and respectfully to
urge that you will, with all the pow
er of your great office, and person
ally, assert and maintain the princi-
pie of arbitration for industrial dis
putes affecting national intercourse.
No just demand can fear such test;
no unfair demand can or should sur
vive it. l sincerely believe no man in
our history has possessed such an
opportunity to fortify this essential
principle of public security against
future attack by employer or en-
ploye.
GEORGE POPE,
president National Association of
Manufacturers"
The president replied:
"Allow me to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your telegram of August 18.
and to say in reply that hold to the
principle Of arbitration with as clear
conviction and as firm purpose as
any one, but that unfortunately there
| is no means now in existence by
which arbitration can be secured.
The existing means have been tried
and have failed. This situation must
never be allowed to arise again, but
| it has arisen. Some means must be
found to prevent it's recurrence, but
no means can be found off-hand or In
present national emergency.
what I am proposing does not
weaken or discredit the principle of
arbitration. 1t strengthens it, rather.
1t proposes that nothing is conceded
except the eight-hour day, to which
the whole economic movement Of the
time seems to point, and the immedi-
ate creation of an agency for deter
mining all the arbitrable elements in
this case in the light, not of predic-
lions or forecasts, but of established
and ascertained facts. This is the
first stage of the direct road to the
discovery of the best permanent basis
for arbitration when other means
than those now available are sup.
Piled"
Louis w. Hill, president of the
Gerat Northern, and several other
western railroad presidents have ar.
rived at Washington.
Chicago, Aug. PIE. P. Ripley,
president Of the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe railroad, left today for
Washington in response to President
Wilson's last call to the railroad
presidents Of the country for con.
ference in last effort to prevent a
nationwide strike Of railroad en-
ploves.
"l resident Wilson's so-called plan
for adjustment of the questions at
stake is no more than an invitation
to the railroads to surrender" Mr.
Ripley said.
When asked if he had any hopes
of settlement Mr.. Ripley said:
Eyes; I have hopes. l hope the
men will strike"
The Santa Fe head was asked why
he entertained such hope, and re
piled:
"If small number of men can
block the country's business the coun
try ought to know it. The sooner the
better. That condition ought to be
defeated at once and decisively."
Mr. Ripley declared a strike would
be broken in 80 days.
/ A. D.