Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-19

| RAIL CHIEFS BALK
| The statement was issued Just after
| railway heads had assembled at the White
| House to give their reply to the proposition.
President Holden. of the c.. B. & O..
! spokesman for the railway presidents told
the President that they continued to stand
| for arbitration and did not believe II right
to ask them to abandon that principle. He
| made 1t plain, however, tnat the full power
| of attorney to reject or accept the Pres.
idcnt's plan lay finally with the railway
| managers committee which is still in the
| city, but which has not participated in any
| of the conferences with the President since
| the railway presidents arrived.
| 1t liz expected that before the final crisis
has been reached the railroad managers will
be asked to the White House to indicate
| whether they will accept or reject the
Presidents plan.
TO ASK FOR TIME.
There is strong indication today that
rather than reject 1t and precipitate a
strike, they will ask for more time and
further conferences.
The Presidents intimation that the In
terstate Commerce Commission might be
expected to give q fair consideration to
rate increases II the eight-hour day change
Is made is one of the things the managers
wish to clear up.
The President closed the conferences
with S0-minute address to the presidents
He said that 1t was "a condition. not a
principle" which is at stake in the present
negotiations. 1t would be unfair and i'm.
practical to insist upon arbitration when
the men have repeatedly refused It and
when there is system or law to compel it.
he added. He said he could not act as
Judge, but only make suggestions. He
offered, he said, what he believed was a
practical means of meeting the situation
and urged the executives to put 1t into
effect.
BOARD FOR TEST.
Whom the commission has been appointed
1t can see how it works and then if 1t fails
It can come to light, he said Pending an
investigation by this commission the Presi-
dent said that he was faced by a wide
difference of opinion on the part of the
men and the managers as to the task of
applying the eight-hour day principle to
railway operation, and that he himself was
obviously unable to judge which contention
was right
WILSON DEEPLY MOVED.
While speaking, the President paced back
and forth in front of the men, obviously |
stirred by the situation confronting him. |
and showing plainly, it was said. the strain |
he has undergone the last week. He de- |
clared he would not be the court in this |
matter-that the people of the country were |
the judges. and that when the naked truth |
in the situation" was laid before them the |
blame for any crisis would be placed by the |
people, and it will not fall upon him.
AT the conclusion of the conference one |
of the railroad presidents who diagnosed
the situation as not hopeless" but very
Serious" said the executives would remain :
in Washington over Sunday and possibly
longer.
The President he said, has asked them
for final decision on his proposition, and
they are preparing to formulate this and
lay 1t before him before they leave.
TRAINMEN BIDE TIME
Meanwhile the representatives of the
brotherhoods were enjoying themselves see
ing the sights of Washington. They have
accepted the Presidents proposition in its
him to see that the railroads do the same
thing. This the President has promised
to do. and it was said officially at the
White House that he was in no way dis
couraged over the apparent deadlock with
the railroad executives Although on the