Evening journal., 1916-08-03
President MAY TRY
TO Prevent STRIKE
Asks Conference With Medi-
alton Board While Railroad
Situation DarkenS
EXPECT CRISIS
ON AUGUST s
BY ROBERT J. BENDER

Wilson today requested a conference
with Commissioner Chambers. Of the
United States Board Of Mediation and
Cancellation, presumably to discuss
the threatened strike OF the big four
brotherhoods of railway men. threat
ening a nationwide tie-up of trans
portation.
The matter came directly before the
President IN the form OF letter from
Chairman Harry A. Wheeler, OF the
railway committee. United States
chairman OF commerce. The letter
urges an inquiry on behalf of the
administration" to investigate the inn
pending crisis. Scores of informal
requests for action have also been
received.
The strike, if called, would assume
cataclysmic proportions in the belief
of officials here. IL would completely
tie up freight traffic throughout the
country, halting grain shipments, food
and supplies Of all kinds to an extent
and with results impossible Of fore
cast.
The smaller towns would suffer
most il is believed-particular those
which. are not self-supporting or
within a territory supplying food.
Mining towns, where supplies for only
two or three days are kept, would be
in immediate danger Of starvation or
complete business collapse. as its
people left for other points. Losses,
according to government officials.
would mount into hundreds OF mil
lions of dollars.
It does not seem now that other
branches than freight departments
would be affected by the strike un-
less a sympathetic CALI was issued.
From a political standpoint, the
Presidents position in attempting to
bring about an adjustment of the diff
ficulty is full of dynamite" accord
ing TO his advisors.
The trainmen say they won't arbi-
trate. and the railroads say they
won't yield. Should the President by
shirt sleeve diplomacy demand arbi-
tratiOn he would face resentment of
several hundred thousand laboring
men
II he fails to bring about arbitra-
tion or a settlement he will find him
self faced by a paralyzed transporta-
tion system resulting in tremendous
, business confusion and vast suffer
ing.
Hence II is not surprising that friends
of the President are hoping and praying
that when the executive board of tn,
"big four brotherhoods and the genera
conference committee of the railroads re
sumo conferences in New York on Au
gust 3, they may come to some salts
factory agreement.
Administration officials. representa-,
tives of the railroads and labor, how
ever. are pessimistc over possible agree
ment at that conference. The President
is being kept informed promptly o
every move in the threatened crisis
When the vote of the trainmen is count
ed and il is assumed it will favor I
: strike-the United States Board of Me
diation and Cancellation will at ono
d offer its services. In the event of thi
q board failing 70 bring peace-and per
u haps coincident with the launching of it
efforts-the President may attempt per
sonallv 10 prevent the break.
e Arbitration of the impending strike
IL whether the four brotherhoods desire
e IL or not, today was under considera-
tiOn Of the members OF the Senate in.
terstate commerce committee
Senator Newlands, administration
leader on transportation matters, an
y nounced his committee had beer
'e asked by the National Chamber o.
Commerce for hearing, at which
y such forced settlement of the strike
= would be pressed It was assured thu
l, hearing would be granted.
! Should this be the committee action
- however. a little bitter floor fight ap
pears certain, with the final result II
doubt BY hundreds OF messages thi
- men in the brotherhoods have givel
~ warning that any political body sid
IL ing with the railroads" will feel tn
10 full power Of their ballots next No
,e vember.
10 As further evidence Of congressiona
ID nervousness over the situation New
m lands today was pushing a movemen
to have started at once his specia
z committee investigation of the Who'll
railroad problem. one Of the princiDa
features OF which will be a quer
into wage conditions.
Il had been planned to put off thi
investigation until Senators and Rel
resentatives had completed their fa
campaigning.
Railroads, rather than the mel
have urged the wage investigation
Attorneys who have been for month
spreading the railroads side OF tn
controversy before members, have II
sisted Il will show the trainmen ger
erously paid in comparison with q
unorganized station, Office and rigl