The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-27

this meeting vii, determine definite.
~ whether there will be peaceful
solution OF the eight-hour day de-
mand, which the President favors, or
a strike,
The railway executives, II Is un-
derstood. will renew their demand
that the question of an Gig nt-hour day
be submitted TO arbitration. They viii
agree. TO set aside from October ! the
increase In wages which would 70 to
to the men In the event OF a decision
in their favor. While the executives
were completing their reply this af-
ternoon President Wilson left the
White House and went to the Capitol.
Tho Presidents unexpected aud
somewhat sensational trip to the
Capitol threw the executives into pom
meeting at the New willard Hotel TO
find out what II meant
Secs leaders of Senate.
At the capitol the President was
closeted more than an hour with Sem
ator Francis q. Newlands. of Neva-
da. chairman nf the Senate Interstate
commerce committee. and Senator
John W. Kern, the majority leader.
When he left the conference, the
President said:
All I can say is l came u2 hero on
That isn't very definite, 10 ~"
he added with a smile.
Senators Kern and Newlands re-
fused 10 discuss the Presidents visit.
one report was that Mr.. Wilson had
asked that a quorum OF the House be
called to Washington at once so that
he might appear before a Joint COM
mlttec OF Congress on Monday with
a request for Immediate legislation
that would enable him to avert Il
strike
It WAS also said that Senators New
lands and Kern had told the Presi
dent they had Carvassed the situation
in Congress and that they were con-
WINGED that legislation could hc pass
ed at this session looking toward an
increase in freight rates and tho
establishment of commission for
the inVe stigation OF industrial dis
putes.
DO 1t by Means of Rider.
The President is said to have been
told that II would be impossible to
get an original bin Of this kind
through the House at the present SEES
sion without prolonged and acrino-
NOUS debate. but that the bill which
has already passed the House pro-
Vding for an increase of two mem
bers in the Interstate Commerce Com
the legislation desired The plan was
TO tack a rider on this bill Both
houses could then agree on It In con-
ference and the bill could be passed
without giving administration oppon-
ents too much opportunity for talk and
delay Immediately after the Presi-
dents departure from the Capitol the
Democratic steering committee was
called into session. The President went
! NJ n h
went Eoltlng with. Mrs. Wilson with
ont sending for the railway presid ents
who were waiting his summons to q
conferences
After the Presidents visit to tho
Capitol the report was spread among
the railway executives and managers
that strike order would bs jssued
by the brotherhoods within five days.
WIN Definitely Decide Question.
One executive said.
After our counter proposition has
been laid before the President and
made public there Will be nothing for
the brotherhoods to do but either call
a strike or accept our terms"
1t was with grim resolution that
the railroad executives and managers
met at II o'clock this morning to
pass finally upon their reply to Presi-
cent Wilson'S proposition for the set
tfment OF the dispute without a re-
sort to Il strike. The executives com
ihlttee OF eight met at 8 o'clock and
put the tlnal touches to the PROPOSE
uon or the railroads. One executive
said there had been q division of
counsel among them. but that the de-
clsion had been reached that we
must hang together or hang sepa-
rately".
The executives and managers con-
irohtcd' however. variety Of opin-
. +Y4t In T.
or tneir proposals 1t was expected
'hatthey would decide In a few min
utes upon the communication pre-
pared Tor submission to President WI
son Instead. they took a recess al
80 o'clock until 2;30 without having
dehnltely agreed upon the phrase
oloEy
AT o'clock the executives adjourn
cd again until O'Clock. 1t was said
they had agreed upon the wording or
their counter demands and were
awaiting the Presidents convenience
10 present the statement to the White
House.
In the meantime, Elisha Lee. chair
man of the managers conference
com mittee, had disappeared from the
New willard Hotel, and the reports
spread that he was in secret consulta-
ton with the brotherhood chiefs. try
ing to effect direct settlement
Later this report was proved UNI
true. 1t was stated on apparently
good authority that Daniel Willard,
president of the aBltimore and Ohio.
president of the aBltimore and Ohio:
Western. and Fairfax Harrison. presi-
dent Of the Southern Railway had
been leaders in a fight in the execu-
uyes' managers conference for IA
modification of terms OF tho PROPOSE
ton to be submitted to the presi-
dent 1t was said they were for
moro conciliatory policy, favorlng
some concessions that might be ac-
ceptabie to the President and the
hrotherhoods
Situation Very Serious
While the executives and managers
were meeting. Secretary of the In
terror Lane was closeted with Presi-
dent Wilson. After their meeting,
Secretary Lane was quoted as saying
that the situation appeared very sert-
Gus. He gave the impression that q
strike might not be averted.
In the railroad executives' camp
the report was circulated that two
chiefs-W. &. Stone. of
the Engineers. and A. r. Gnrretson,
Of the Conductors-were opposed to
a strike, and had oounseled delibera-
ton before any radical step should be
taken.
It was reported that w. @. Lee, Of