New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-27

M1ik Eank
F"The Worlds Best Table Water y

meet in the House. That branch Of
Congress has practically finished IT'S
labors for the session. II has only two
more regular meetings scheduled be,
fore adjournment But the principal
obstacle would be the fact that Repre-
sentztiyes depending upon the eleeto-
rate for their Jobs would hesitate TO
risk the probable enmity of union
labor Furthermore. It was stated to-
nicht that many Of the leaders IN Con-
gress firmly believe that there wall De
no strike. II is said that they have
been assured Of that.
The lobby of the old National Hotel
is swarmng with train service en-
ployes who are sorely peeved at the
turn affairs have taken. They dei'N-
cred their ultimatum 10 the President
Yesterday. They have been forced by
the situation 10 delay preelpitate &C
ton. This afternoon, however, theY
served notice on the President that to-
. morrow would be the last. The chair
men intend to leave then. Half hun.
dred OF them had their pie boxes
packed this afternoon, had actually
"chected out" of the hotel, when 1t
was decided 10 hold them for another
twenty-four hours. A few of them,
though. are already on their way to
their local lodges.
Waited for Wilson.
II was confidently expected that the
railroad executives would present their
counter proposal ~ President wilson
nv noon to-day The draft was finished
bv that time The committee OF eight
executives sent word TO the Whlte
House that they were at the Presi-
dents disposal. No call came. Ihey
adjourned their meeting until late tins
afternoon. anticipating an invitation IN
the interim. .,
Meanwhile President Wilson had de-
eided upon his course. For some days
he has determined that If TINS was 10
he a game he would play It play IL
faster than the railroads or the unions
He did to-day. Tonight his hand is
the best. He is playing 1t alone. but
the odds are against him, nevertheless.
When the word came 10 the Nhlte
House that the executives were ready
TO call. the President had gone to the
Capitol.
lie had telephoned to Senator New
lands before he left the White House
Senators Newlands and Kern would
have gone to see him, but he preferred
tho other course. IL was said tonight
that ne did not urge any measures MN
self, but simply urged, frantlcally al
most. that some action be taken by
Congress TO relieve the tension, 10
avert a national calamity. The sug-
gested legislative measures resulted
from the meeting. They have not the
Presidents official sanction yet, but 1t
is significant that there will " meet
ing of the Senate Interstate Commerce
Committee OR Monday morning.
No Word Reached President.
officials at the White House were
asked tonight why the President had
not consented to a meeting with the
executives this afternoon, when they
sent word that they were ready. 1t was
explained that the President waited Tor
such a message, but II did not reaeh
him. But il was known that after the
President visited the Capitol he went
golfng and did not return to the White
House until early evening.
The executives were certain that
they would be called into conference
with the President later One of the
railway heads telephoned about
o'clock and asked for an appointment.
The President said he had an I'M
portant engagement for the evening
but would break it if the executives
thought their meeting important
enough. Apparently they did not, for
the engagement was not broken. Ihey
said they would be willing to call IN
the morning, but the Presidents reply
was an appointment for 10 o'clock on
Monday morning
The counter proposal o. the railway
managers and executives comedies alb
solutely nothing except theoretical
eight-hour basic day.
II is believed that the Presidents
realization Of this fact, although ne
has not seen the plan, prompted HIM
TO take the st p that he took. An &C
curate summary of the plan obtained
authenticity to-day provides as fol
lows:
That the employees shall continue to
work as thGy 90 now-ten hours work
for ten hours pay and pro rata over
time.
Investigation Is Asked.
That an arbitration board appointed
by the President shall investigate the
merits of the contentious of both sides
for period of at least three months
and then report, the report to be bind
ing only by its moral effect
That in the interim the roads shall
keen two accounts and make two re-
ports TO the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. One account will show the
actual wage schedules and payrols for
the ten-hour basic pay day. The other
will show what the roads would have
had 20 pay out 10 the men in wages
and overtime il they had adopted the
Presidents proposal of ten hours pay
for eight hours work and pro rata
overtime beyond eight hours.
That if the arbitration board decides
that the eight-hour basic day is fair
and Just the roads shall he compelled
10 pay according TO such scale with
pro rata time and half overtime from
the date the arbitration board began
its investigation
Position Of Roads.
The position Of the roads on these
terms is this:
The Presidents plan does not secure
TO the men an eight-hour working day.
Ii provides simply for an eiGht-hour
basic pay day, which means that the
men work the same hours that they
work now but get an increase in wages
of approximately 25 per cent, amount
ing to about $4,000, 900 year. II this
wage increase is fair. the roads Raintain
then il should be determined by n gov
eminent body. In other words, the roads
have not reeeded one step from the po-
sition that they took al the outset Of
the controversy. What they have
gained in the interim is simply what
acerues TO them from an increased
public knowledge of the roads conten-
tions.
II the President received such plan
before his move to-day he would have